Angel at Sea
by Angel0624
Summary: I hurried below deck when the other boat approached; I wanted nothing to do with it. However, both my parents and Sophie were called above deck; I refused to leave below deck. It was around half an hour later when they came hurrying back down the stairs, pushing one another. "What's the matter?" I asked, shooting up from my seat; there was a gunshot, a deafening one, canon fire.
1. Leaving Home

Chapter One: Leaving Home

~~ People were running about me, carrying all of our belongings in their arms and loading them into several different carriages. Mother and father were helping them and I stood at the pier staring at the water surrounding me; it glittered dark blue and diamonds sparkled upon the surface. I smiled, they were like the diamonds that hung in my eardrops and around my neck! They shined to the equivalent of the glitter on my nice, purple dress which, no doubt, was being ruined by the sea salt that flowed unendingly through my hair. "Anna!"

Someone screamed, "Anna!" They yelled again; I turned to find Sophie, my caretaker since I was a baby, standing behind me; Sophie was Italian with a light accent, golden skin, and deep, chocolate eyes with voluminous, brown hair. "Anna, we've got to go" said she, approaching me; I sighed.

"I know, I just...I don't want to leave London yet. Port Royal is just entirely too far away!" I cried, huffing; Sophie sat beside me and nodded.

"It is, but, think of it! An entirely new town! An entirely new life, even!" She cried, looking starry eyed to the water; I sighed, before I left them yesterday I said goodbye to all of my friends in London, and, we all cried together, then, we ate cake, lots and lots of cake.

"Anna!" Someone else yelled now, Sophie and I both turned to find my mother, a beautiful woman with porcelain features and perfectly black hair; my father was a contrast of her, he carried electric blonde hair and golden skin, I was a happy mix of the two; my skin was fair, but not so fair as to be so fortunate to be called porcelain. My eyes, my mother said many times, were emerald green and my hair was dirty blonde. "Come, darling, it's time to go!" She yelled, I sighed and grasped Sophie's hand, and, together, we loaded into the large ship named the 'Queen Mary'; she had snow white sails and the Union Jack flew peacefully upon the powder blue sky.

Her hull was made out of the strongest wood there was, the makers said it was the most dependable. And, we needed it to be dependable, coming from London to Port Royal; it would take two weeks to get there!

I remained on deck as our boat lurched and we began sailing; it was almost magical how we glided so wonderfully and effortlessly over the water!

~~ Three hours later, Sophie and I sat above deck, admiring the ocean and she told me stories of her adventures, coming from Italy to England. "...And there are pirates!"

"Pirates?" I asked "what are pirates?" I asked; Sophie smiled.

"Pirates are men and women, usually men, who pillage and plunder ports and boats in search of riches...and women." Sophie explained.

"Women?"

"Yes, women! Pirates are out all the time with only men, and, when they find a woman, they typically can't help themselves" said she, I shivered, I prayed we got to Port Royal safely, I didn't want to encounter a pirate, especially because I'm a woman!

"H-Have you ever encountered pirates before, Sophie?" I asked and she shook her head.

"Thankfully not, I pity all of those who have. Most pirates were privateers who didn't know how to get money after the war; they were desperate, a feeling which you've never known." Sophie said, and, she wasn't wrong. I had never known desperation or starvation or any of those horrid words you hear on the radio; I was raised in wealth and a family of plenty, my god was I thankful for how lucky I was!

I would love to explain how exciting it was, but, it would taste a lie. Admittedly, it was quite boring and staring at the ocean for hours almost made me manic! I couldn't read for, the swaying of the boat made me nauseous, and, I couldn't walk! I stumbled many times and fell a total of four times; I hadn't earned my 'sea legs' as Sophie called them.

~~ Three days later is when something finally gave, the wind stopped blowing and our travel fell to a stand still. We were in a 'bluff' as the captain, Captain White, called it. Captain White was a youngish man with dark brown hair and light blue eyes; his skin was deep golden from all his years standing beneath the sun and the intense heat which suffocated me was nothing but a gnat to him. All day and night we remained stuck, barely drifting. The next day, the wind finally puckered up its lips again and we were moving at a slow, but steady, pace; I felt like I had gone absolutely mad.

The sun and humidity caused my hair to curl more than usual, and then puff up; the sun turned any exposed skin red, my corset became sweaty and perspiration marks were clearly visible.

This was my definition of hell.

That day I decided to stay in my nightgown and walk about; no corset or anything! It was a white nightgown with ruffles about the neckline and cuffs with pearl designs; I lounged on the bow and played cards with myself; losing twice before something extraordinary happened. I glanced up and saw another boat! It was quite far away, but, I could tell the sails were a strange colour; dark grey, almost black. "Sophie!" I cried; something scared me about that boat, though the Union Jack flew proudly on the vessel, I got an eerie feeling from its presence.

Sophie hurried out and I pointed out the ship to her. "Does that look strange to you?" I asked and she slowly shook her head. She grinned and patted my head.

"You're just shaken up from all that pirate talk a few days ago; don't worry, it's more than likely nothing." Said she, walking away, however, staring at the boat approaching, I felt very uneasy.

~~ I hurried below deck when the other boat approached; I wanted nothing to do with it. However, both my parents and Sophie were called above deck; I refused to leave below deck. "May I please just stay here? I am very unfit to meet anyone" I protested, my father sighed but my mother calmed him; they nodded and went above deck. It was around half an hour later when they came hurrying back down the stairs, pushing one another. "What's the matter?" I asked, shooting up from my seat; there was a large gunshot, a deafening one, canon fire.

"We're under attack!" Sophie cried, grasping my hand and pulling me away from the stairs.

"By who?" I asked, pausing and yanking her back.

"Pirates!" She screamed, her eyes wide in fear.


	2. Pirates!

_Chapter Two: Pirates!_

~~ "P-Pirates?" I asked, not believing my ears; I trembled in fear and Sophie nodded quickly, yanking me away from the stairs. All of a sudden a canon ball came blundering through the boat, shooting a hole straight through both walls of the boat, not even five feet before Sophie! I screamed and double timed it back, running up the stairs. Sophie grasped the back of my nightgown and pulled me back down.

"We can't go up there! We'll be killed!" She cried.

"Well, we can't just sit here either!" I yelled back. "If we can make it to the map room, we'll be fine; that door locks and is quite strong" I added, I grasped her hand and smiled. "But we have to hurry" I yelled over both gunfire and canon fire. She nodded and ran up the stairs, leading the way; it was absolute madness on the deck!

Imagine, if you will, Piccadilly Circus smashed onto the deck of a boat! And, those people roaming Piccadilly Circus, carrying guns and knives and all dangerous weapons; aiming to kill you! I ran behind Sophie, that is, until two large, muscular arms went underneath my own and jerked me away from Sophie, I screamed for her; but she didn't hear me, and she continued running until she hit the map room and slammed the door behind her, not even checking to see if I was still behind her. The man threw me to the ground and pointed, inches away from my neck, a large, silver sword with a fatal point at the end; I just breathed for a few moments and time seemed to slow. My eyes traveled up the sword to a disgusting man with hardly any teeth, and, those he kept were brown with holes in them; the whites in his eyes were bright red and his pupils were so large I thought they could engulf his entire body!

He wore a long, brown, curly beard with golden skin and brown, soiled overalls covered his body. Though, my eyes floated from this man, across my own boat, to the boat apposing us; the pirate ship. There was a man standing at the wheel, he was incredibly tall and wore a large, black hat with a large brim and a black feather; his clothing consisted of a white, cotton shirt, a black vest, a large, black trench coat, two black belts that carried holsters for three guns and two rapiers, and black trousers with black boots. This man's eyes burnt a hellish yellow and his face...his face was long and his skin...like green parchment! Going back to his face, it was...disfigured, to say the least; I couldn't see it too clearly from a distance, but, what I did see wasn't pleasant, at all.

His cheeks were sunken in so his cheekbones were more than clearly visible; his eyes, too, were sunken in, and, his nose...he didn't have one! His mouth was tight lipped, and his ears weren't big, however, nor were they small. They were wrinkles running vertically from the bottom of his eyes to this mouth, but, in no way did he appear old. He gave me, in fact, quite the opposite impression; he appeared young and agile, he was as skinny as a skeleton and, because of his height and length of leg, he glided about the boat with a suavity that could never be recreated by anyone; he wasn't muscular, almost at all, but he struck me as incredibly masculine and dominant. There was no question in my mind that he was the captain.

And he was staring straight at me.

I couldn't move, his gaze paralyzed me where I lay; the man holding the sword to my throat was yelling something to me, but I heard not what. The man I figured was the captain, was now walking down the stairs from the wheel to the deck; not breaking eye contact with me. Now, time rushed back to me and I snapped back to attention to the man before me, he was looking away, at something else, and I made a break for it; even though the captain caught me in a trance, I didn't want to go over to the pirate ship, what self respecting woman would? I ran up to the Captain's Quarters and shut myself inside; locking the three locks and pressing my back against the door, my heart was fluttering and my chest rose and fell quickly, I was surprised I wasn't shot or something like that!

Moments after I pressed my back to the door people, pirates, were banging on the door and slamming their bodies against it; the door moaned and cracked with their combined strength blowing against it. Honestly, I am surprised the door held out for as long as it did; I glanced desperately around the room for something, anything to aid me in hand-to-hand combat against a pirate. Finally, I saw a rapier, stuck to a plank of wood, which also held a giant swordfish; I bolted from the door and, with several yanks, the rapier came free and, the moment it fit in my palm, the door broke in half and flew to the back of the room. I barely moved out of the way in time. Four pirates stormed the room and two challenged me; I swung the rapier in every direction, striking their rapier's once or twice and causing a loud ringing, a ringing I wasn't prepared for.

Upon instinct I dropped the rapier and covered my ears, which was, my worst mistake of that day.

There was muffled laughter around me and I was hauled up, thrown up for a moment and then a man's hands took me beneath my arms; I would've fought back, but, every time I went to uncover my ears, they ached and a loud throbbing beat against my eardrums. By the time I realized what was going on, I was upon the deck and the fighting had stopped; mother, father, and Sophie were on their knees with a man behind them; a gun in one of their hands. Finally, I widened my pain threshold and took the ringing; I bit, kicked and screamed, kicking one man in the genitals. He gave a sharp intake of breath and fell to his knees and another man took me up, and punched my cheek; I fell to the deck and someone screamed at him. I pushed myself up a little and saw hot, red, blood dripping from my bottom lip.

I was yanked up again and was being dragged over to the pirate ship; I screamed and fought ever harder. Yelling for my parents and Sophie. "Fight!" I screamed "please, fight...mummy!" I yelled to her, the pirate that held me threw me down upon the deck of the pirate ship; and I couldn't breathe for a moment, not because I was in pain, but, because it was all so surreal.

I glanced before me to see shiny, black boots; I looked up now to see the man that I assumed was the captain, he stared at me for a moment and then nodded to one of his men.

Three guns went off at the same time.

I looked back down from the man; my breathing was weak and tears burnt my eyes, this couldn't be real. None of this could be real! The captain said something, but, I was too incoherent to hear it; my feet wouldn't work, so, the pirates had to drag me. I turned one final time and saw Sophie's lifeless eyes staring back at me, her face was expressionless and her golden, Italian skin was turning pale; a dark red hole in the back of her head. My eyes floated over the deck to find two pirates throwing my mother and father's bodies overboard; I had not the time to look at them.

The pirates took me below deck, to a prison they called a 'brig'. There were many other men down there, most of them made catcalls at me as I was dragged; however, I was given my own cell. I scrunched to the side of the cell; which was the side of the boat, when I was thrown inside. The pirates slammed the cell door and one addressed me. "The Cap'n will be callin' ya soon, lassie" said he, laughing and walking off, twirling the keys to my freedom on his finger.


	3. Prisoner

_Chapter Three: Prisoner_

~~ I laid against the side of the boat, feeling the waves lap against the side; the men had stopped their catcalling, finally. A door was thrown open and light came gushing in torrents down to us; I whimpered in pain and turned away. I didn't know how long we had been down there, but, it had been more than a day; at least. I had been served four meals; all of which were bland, had these pirates heard of a thing called salt?

Anyways, a few pirates came forwards; one was swinging a set of keys around his index finger and whistling a jovial tune; completely opposite of what I felt inside. In stead of coming to my cell the pirates went to the cell before mine and yanked out the male pirate from inside there; he screamed and fought against the pirates, but, one of the pirates retrieved a large whip with nine ends to it, he called it a 'nine tail'. He raised the whip behind him and brought it down with such force I would've mistaken it for a lightening crack! The man screamed, but the pirates only whipped him harder; I turned away and whimpered, cringing every time I heard the whip slap against his flesh. All of a sudden, the whipping stopped and another door opened; a door close to me, my door.

I looked up to find the pirate with the whip standing before me, Satan laughing in his eyes. The pirate grasped me by my hair and threw me out of my cell, onto the floor; as I attempted to scurry away two other pirates grasped my arms and held me down, moving my hair out of the way so the whip would have full contact. Then, I felt the most indescribable, excruciating pain I would ever feel for the rest of my life. It was more unendurable than one thousand bee stings whilst being cut at with a rapier and hammered in the head with a canon ball; and I let out a scream that directly showed that, and, I figured I broke a few glasses in the kitchen! The pirate growled, but, lashed me with the whip thrice more, until a few other men came running down the stairs; they gasped in horror when they saw me.

"Marty! You weren't supposed to hurt her! Oh, Cap'n will have your head for this!" The man cried; grasping the man holding the nine tale and shaking him violently; this man wore an all white jacket and a small, white hat, I figured he was the cook. I breathed heavily and allowed myself to fall to the floor; even though I hadn't done much, from the whip, I was so physically exhausted, I couldn't move.

All of a sudden, there were long, clunking footsteps; footsteps that demanded not only respect, but authority.

It was him.

The Captain.

The man that held eye contact with me during the fight; the man who I fell before his feet. The man who ordered the death of my parents and nanny of so many years. There was a long silence for a moment, and, hesitantly, I turned as best I could to see his yellow eyes shining like beacons out of the stiff darkness; they were glaring at the man that held the nine tale. "You defied my orders" the captain growled; his voice was deep, but not so much as to sound...imbecilic. It was...to a point...heavenly; it entrapped me in its melody, even when he only spoke!

"Yes, s-sir, I-I'm-"

"Sorry doesn't work on this boat; you rat." The Captain hissed "if I tell you to do something, you do it. If I tell you not to do something, you _don't _do it. I will not stand for this ignorance of orders on my ship" the Captain finished; he turned to a pirate standing to his left and nodded. The pirate that whipped me began stuttering his begs and pleads, but they were lost somewhere in the clatter of both feet and rapiers upon the stairs; in the next moment a gunshot was heard and then a large thud.

The pirate that shot me, was dead.

My mind reeled; why did the captain kill a man just for whipping me? Why did the captain keep me alive at all? I turned back to the captain to see that he was staring dead at me; I paused everything and found myself lost in his eyes. They colour was so entrancing, it was something I'd never seen before!

It wasn't wonderful, but, nor was it terrible.

"Help her up" the captain said softly to one of his crewman; and, gently, two of them hauled me up from the ground and faced me towards the captain. The captain stood straight and took off his hat; revealing a crop of slicked back, jet black hair. "I am not quite ready for you yet, madam, a half an hour more and we will speak, in my quarters." He stated, turning away and returning the hat to his head.

"Wait" I said in a meek voice, moving forwards a bit and feeling my legs give out beneath me; the two pirates caught me. The captain turned back and stared at me expectantly, awaiting a question. "Why am I here?" I asked softly; the captain smiled.

"Those are the type of questions I will address in thirty moments more" he replied, turning around again and walking back to the surface. The two pirates took me back to my cell and placed me down gently; leaving quickly and immersing us all in darkness again.

~~ Something broke inside me and the realization that I was alone hit me full force; and, I couldn't hold it back. I sobbed. It came to the point where the man to the cell of my left reached through the bars and patted my shoulder comfortingly; he asked what happened and I explained everything. "Everyone's gone...everyone! I have no family member's any longer; well, none that I consider living, anyways." I explained, wiping my eyes and nose. By now all of the men in the prison cells were fully enthralled in my tale and listened carefully.

"Ah, it'll be alright, darlin'. He won't kill you; by the way he's treated you, I don't believe he will. Hell, he took his hat off for ya!" A man from across the aisle said, this was followed by a chorus of the word 'yes' said many times over.

"Yeah...now that I think of it...he did, didn't he? But...why? Why would he keep me alive if he killed the rest of my family?" I asked, the man to my left sighed.

"That's a question for him, honey. Even then, I doubt you'll get a clear answer; men are very protective of their feelings...that is...if they have any" he answered; I sighed, I yearned to go home, I wanted my mother's arms around me again, I wanted to eat Sophie's famous chocolate pies again, I wanted to laugh and play the violin with my father again, oh! Why did they have to die?

Just as I was wondering this, the door was flung open again and a pirate came straight to my cell. "He's ready for ya, miss" said the pirate; yet, he was young, I guessed around twelve years of age.

A cabin boy.

I nodded and slowly walked out, clutching onto the bars for support; the young man held my hand as we walked out of the cool darkness of the prison deck.

~~ The bright sunlight stung my eyes and I was forced to squint as the cabin boy led me out onto the surface deck, through the bustling deck filled with cleaning and prepping pirates, and up a set of stairs; he stopped at the second set of stairs and sighed. He turned to me and glanced me over, I had not the slightest idea of why; if he was making sure I was presentable, he could forget about it! He took up my hand again and led me up the final set of stairs; quietly grasping the golden doorknob to the oaken door which, on a small plaque read 'Captain's Quarters'. He peeked his head inside and whispered "she's fine; no new marks or scars"; there was a grunt and the cabin boy returned and smiled to me. "He's ready for you, now, ma'am".

In my stomach, butterflies flown freely as I grasped the warm knob, I sighed and closed my eyes. Oh, god, what would happen? Would this man hurt me? Or worse...would he...ya know...do what pirates do to women...to me? I bit my lip and built up what little tatters of courage I had left; turning the knob and stepping into the room.


	4. Captain

_Chapter Four: Captain_

~~ My legs were as heavy as led as I opened the door to the Captain's Quarters and found that the cabin boy had high tailed it back down to the deck. Anyways, it was as if I was stepping into a mysterious womb, everything before me was red; the walls, the rich Persian carpet on the floor, the pennants suspected from the concave roof. Soft, subdued candle-light and a heavy aroma of fragrant oils and incense made the atmosphere weigh down upon me like an enchanting cloud. A strange, heavy lethargy began to creep over me and I had to blink to clear my head before I could focus on the man who reclined upon the floor cushions. In stark contrast to the warm opulence of his surroundings, he was dressed from hand to foot in black and his face was now entirely concealed behind a white mask.

The effect suggested power, a cold, thrilling majesty; it was as though I had stumbled upon one of the ancient gods of mythology! He did not look up when I entered and for a long while he continued to tinker with an intricate looking casket whilst I hovered by the doorway, troubled by a growing sense of invisibility. He ignored me so completely that I began to be persuaded that he was quite unaware of my presence and consequently I allowed myself to stare at him with vulgar curiosity. I could not help but notice his fingers, which were extraordinarily thin, I would say scarcely more than bones. They were of positively inhuman length and they moved with a graceful dexterity that was oddly fascinating.

Mesmerized, I stood and stared; then, suddenly, I became aware that he was watching me stare!

The scrutiny of those unblinking eyes behind the mask made me very nervous. There was something sinister, almost reptilian, in the stillness of that black-clad figure, something that reminded me, uncomfortably, of a cobra reading to strike. "So, they've treated you right, have they?" Asked he and my mouth hung agape, for, nothing in his austere appearance prepared me for his voice. Even when I heard it, quite in close vicinity, I hadn't heard it without all of the din of the deck and angry pirates muddling it. I had never expected to hear such a voice outside of paradise; to encounter it here, in this draughty, ill-lit room, which held its own kind of terror, for who was he-what was he-to be possessed of such divinity of sound?

Now, I wondered whether I beheld an angel or a devil; and even now, after these years, it is a question I still ponder. "E-Excuse me?" I asked, falling back down from the observant heavens to reality; he gave a chuckle that sent chills through my spine.

"Did the men treat you right? They didn't hurt you anymore?" He clarified, a smile passing his tight lips. My cheeks flushed burgundy, and I felt an emotion I could not fathom.

"N-No, they didn't; in fact they were...uh...q-quite helpful." I said hastily, lapsing into stuttering in my confusion. The captain continued tinkering with the strange, little casket; it was black with shimmering golden designs swirling all over it. White colour lined the edges of it. He held the casket towards himself, the top was opened and a golden star was painted on the top; there were a few sharp clicks and he grinned, placing a small screwdriver beside him (or, it seemed small in comparison to his fingers) closing the lid and setting it on the other side of him. He rose and I became awash with apprehension as he took a step towards me.

"And, how was this ensued upon?" He asked, a slight hiss in his voice. The menace in his voice had become indescribable and his physical nearness was a thing of terror.

"I...I...I" I stuttered, taking baby steps away from him; I could clearly tell he was smiling at himself beneath the mask.

"Are you afraid I'm going to hurt you, madam? Do you believe I bite?" He paused, a sinister smirk taking the place of the self-absorbed smile. He stepped ever closer, over the satin pillow that worked as a barrier between us; I continued backing up until my personal space was nothing but a piece of dust floating about the room. He cornered me and placed his right hand against the wall, beside my head; the smirk still glued to his face.

"I don't bite...very hard; if you would like proof I can give you a _demonstration_" said he, whispering 'demonstration' into my ear with a seductive tone. If my cheeks weren't burning crimson before, they sure were now!

Only squeaks spilled from my mouth now and he chuckled again, but not with the heart-stopping menace that plagued the first. My lips quivered and my eyelids clenched shut as his slow breathing beat down upon my neck and tickled my ear; I felt coolness on my ear and he backed away from me, turning and walking to the corner of the room where water was bubbling steadily inside the brass urn of a samovar. Removing the little china teapot from the top of the charcoal, he poured a single cup, added a slice of lemon and turned back to me; I was still shaking like a leaf in the midst of a windstorm. He placed the steaming cup down upon a large, black desk with papers strewn about it and came back over to me, offering his hand. Slowly, I slipped my own hand into his, it was quite warm and his skin felt of the satin that covered the puffy pillows that once surrounded him.

He grasped tightly onto my hand and led me over to the little circle of pillows, pointing to a spot where I collapsed. He turned on his heel and lifted up the cup, giving it promptly to me; I gave a quick smile, or, the best I could make of one, and brought the cup to my lips as he sprawled out across from me, taking back up the little, black and gold casket. His mood had changed abruptly with my embarrassment but he was still toying with me, as a cat plays with a mouse, but gently now; with sheathed claws. "No doubt you have questions" said he after a tense silence, he glanced up at me from his casket a few times; I nodded quickly and glanced down to my hands to discover that my teacup was trembling and the water inside quivered with it. I still wasn't fully over his seductive proposal.

"W-Why did you kill my family a-and not me?" I asked meekly, yet, he still heard me. His reptilian, daffodil burning eyes stared hard at me whilst his lips curled into a purse. He laid on his side, facing me, his black trench coat enveloped half of his legs, but unveiled his arms, which, I now found were quite toned.

"I never set finger upon your family" said he simply; continuing to tinker with his casket.

"You know what I mean, sir." Said I, his eyes flicked back up to me.

"Maybe I don't, madam. Maybe I don't know what you mean; maybe, if you don't clarify your denotation I will take my own understanding of your phrase and fit it to my fancy. If we agree with this theory if you ever say _'Please...'_ and trail off or stutter the singular letter _'I'_ several times and your lips quiver with fervor, I will take that as a sign of sexual stimulation and continue doing whatever it was that I was doing" he paused and set his casket down upon the wooden boards; that was possibly the loudest, most ominous, foreboding sound my ears would ever have the displeasure of hearing. He raised himself to all fours and advanced upon me; stealing the china cup away from my fingers and placing it on the desk beside us. I attempted to scramble away but he grasped my hands and held me before him.

"Because, I'm a pirate" he continued "and, not only that; I am a Captain. And pirates are bad, bad men who love the taste of a woman, hmm?" He paused and sneered. "If you think that's just the crew, what, do you suppose, _I'm_ like, then?" He asked, my heart was somewhere in the stratosphere as it pumped its way out of my ribcage and ripped through my skin; he was only inches away from me!

What was I to do?

I opened my mouth to respond but quickly closed it, figuring that the question was rhetorical, or, that I was incapable of answering and would stumble over my words, if they fell out of my mouth sounding like words at all! He grinned and backed off, sitting back on his haunches in his original place in the pillow circle and picking up the casket again. "That is why, madam, you must clarify what you mean." He explained; I nodded quickly. After a few moments of contemplation I came up with another question he could surely answer!

"Why are they dead? My family, I mean." Asked I, he nodded at my improvement.

"I ordered them so" He replied and I sighed, finally, I was getting somewhere!

"Why did you order them so?" I asked my trembling beginning anew. He shrugged and laid back on a satin pillow, staring at me.

"Because, I wanted them to be"

"Why did you want them to be?" I asked, he grinned.

"Because, I just did" he replied; this sent a chill through my bones. This man had the ability that, on a whim, he could kill whomever he wanted and get away with it. After a long silence I asked my next question.

"Why...why did you not order me dead, too?" I asked, looking up to him and, for the first time since I saw him, staring him dead in the eyes. This only lasted, however, for a few moments; his scrutiny was too harsh for me and caused my cheeks to flush again.

"Because, I don't want you dead" he answered, staring hard at me.

"Why don't you want me dead?" I asked; his grin widened.

"Because, I just don't" he answered; my god, would I ever get a straight answer from this man? He laughed and suddenly I was awash with fatigue and the urge to lay down became overwhelming; the pillows looked so soft and shined so beautifully, then again, did I really want to fall into a slumber near this man? All of a sudden he grasped the casket and slid it across the floor, over to me. "Press the star upon the top when you arrive back in you cell and let no one besides yourself touches it. If anyone does; tell me."

Said he; I gave a small nod, not wanting to anger this man who seemed like he could snap me like a twig. He stood and in consequence I stood, holding the small casket he had tinkered with so continuously; he opened the door for me and the sun attacked my senses. I winced in pain and placed my right hand upon my forehead, shielding the sun's rays from my eyes; I didn't want to go back to that cell. I stepped out of that strange room and he followed behind me, making sure I made it to my cell quite alright; or, so I figured.

~~ The sense of menace and ill-omen were still with me long after I left his quarters. It was dawn before I was able to sleep that night and when I did I heard his voice echoing through my restless dreams like a curious echo of doom.


	5. Tortuga

_Chapter Five: Tortuga_

~~ I sat in my cell along with the other men and inspected the small casket, nothing seemed out of place on it, and, when I told the men of what happened above they highly encouraged me to do as the Captain instructed me to; to press the star on the top. I placed the casket beside me, where we could all see it, and I pressed the star; the star slowly rose until it stood vertically atop of it. Then there were several small clicks and the two sides, beside the star on the casket, stood out and then fell to the casket's side; unveiling a small pirate ship sailing upon the water on the right side, and, on the left side a man and woman danced together to the music of a harpsichord! And, the woman, she looked like me! And, the man, he looked like the Captain!

The star spun slowly, as did the couple and the boat floated over the waves in time with the couple, star, and music. A few moments later and the song ended, the couple and boat retreated into the casket and were replaced by a small platform, and, on the platform sat a ruby red rose. I gave a smile and hesitantly lifted it off of the platform; as soon as I did, the platform retracted and a little figurine appeared; it was a miniature Captain! He was sat before an organ, playing it; the figurine actually swayed with the organ's notes! When this little show ended, I clapped and the casket put itself back together again, leaving me to hold the rose.

~~ For a few day's time I heard nothing from the Captain and spoke solely with my cell mates, that was, until our boat stopped and I heard commotion coming from outside, laughter, people were laughing, and, not just people, women! Women's laughter, church bells ringing, birds screaming, and men laughing heartily; we were at a port! I stood quickly, clutching the casket close to my chest when the door to the prison was opened and in walked a crewmate, he came straight to my cell and stopped before it. "The Cap'n wan'ed me to tell 'ya that 've ported at Tortuga" said the crew member, I paused and blurted out:

"What's a Tortuga?" And all my male friends began laughing until their faces turned blue! The man to my left, whose nickname was Willy, explained to me what a Tortuga was.

"It's a port madam! A buck wild port filled with drunk pirates and thirsty prostitutes" Willy explained; my brows furrowed.

"If they're thirsty why don't they just get some water?" I asked and their laughter began anew, this time, tears streamed down their cheeks. Before Willy could explain the same authoritive footsteps resonated about the prison cells and within seconds the Captain was fully visible coming down the stairs. His presence was so awesome and regal it caused all of us to pause and watch in awe; he stepped before my cell and a smile festered upon his face. He no longer adorned his white mask and his face was fully visible, however, in the darkness of the prison room, I could only see his fiery yellow eyes.

"The thirsty they're speaking of is not the thirsty you know. Let the matter drop, a bottle of rum awaits me" said the Captain, pushing his crewman before him; I bit my lip.

"Captain!" I yelled quickly, hoping that his ears caught my weak voice. I saw his silhouette turn and his eyes were once again lying upon me. "Thank you" I said, holding the bars of my prison; he grunted and turned away again, leaving as fast as he came. For some reason, when I knew he was coming, I felt warm inside and now that he was gone, I was cold again and I sat down upon the bench.

"Aw, honey, what's wrong? We didn't mean to laugh at 'ya" Willy said, I smiled; Willy could've been my father for how caring he was!

"It's not that...well...I'm not entirely sure what it is I just...I feel cold inside" said I, glancing down to the rose and giving a weak smile. "I don't know" I added with a sigh. I looked back up to Willy to see a smile enveloping his face. "What?" I asked, he turned to the other men trapped in cells and they were smiling like he too!

"What?" I demanded, smiling.

"You know" Willy said, playfully punching my arm; once again, I was confused.

"No...no I don't" I said, shaking my head slightly. Willy sighed.

"You like him" Willy said in a singsonging tone. I jumped off of the bench.

"I do not!"

"You do so" Willy argued, his smile growing larger than his face. "I see the way you look at him and call out for him; you just...may not have realized it yet. And, pumpkin, it's not just me; we all see it." He said, motioning to all our cellmates who all carried large smiles upon their faces and their heads bobbed back and forth in a nod. I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms, deciding to ignore them; Willy laughed ever harder.

"Your denial only makes us believe harder, Anna" he finished; I turned away from him and leaned against the hull of the boat, staring at the rose I was bequeathed.

~~ The day came and went without making so much of a peep in my universe; I was bored out of my mind and the little casket wouldn't play anymore! I sighed and stared at that rose for hours, I was almost asleep when a few drunken crewmates made their way down to the prison deck and accidently flung the keys to my cell, into my cell! Slowly, so as not to alert them, I picked the keys off of the ground and hid them behind my back; smiling and nodding along with their singing when they faced me. Then, they turned and walked right back upstairs! I smiled and unlocked my cell, carrying the rose and casket with me.

"Willy?" I asked, Willy was curled up on his bench, asleep. "Willy?" I asked again, banging on the bars to his cage; he snored and jumped awake.

"Huh, wait, what?" Willy asked suddenly, sitting up and rubbing his eyes sleepily. "Anna? What are you doin' out of your cell?" Asked Willy; he now stood and walked to the bars, where I was.

"I'm going to go home, Willy, and I'm going to live in peace, back in London. Tell me where the keys are and I'll get you out too" said I, grasping his hands through the bars; Willy grinned.

"Nah, pumpkin, I can stand it here, besides, I don't have anything to go home to; don't risk yourself for me. Wait, Anna, how are you going to get home?" Asked he, I paused and sighed.

"There's gotta be somebody willing to take me home, right?" I asked, Willy smiled.

"Yes, but, the real question is, honey, is are they here or are you already on their ship?" Willy asked and I paused for a moment, I shook my head and twirled the key around my finger; I found a brown, leather satchel and placed the casket and rose inside of it, throwing the satchel around my shoulder and neck. I patted Willy's hands and thanked him, I hung the keys up and turned back to him.

"Goodbye, Willy, perhaps we'll see one another one day" said I with a smile, Willy smiled back.

"Perhaps" he answered. "Goodbye, pumpkin. Be safe and stay out of the bars" Willy warned, I nodded and slowly walked up the stairs to the main deck, peeking out to see a few pirates passed out on the deck; whiskey bottles still in hand. As silently as I could I crept up the rest of the stairs and tiptoed past the slumbering pirates, I was barefoot so this was relatively easy. Distant laughter and drunken speech rung in my ears as I departed from the ship; I turned one last time and spotted the name of the ship, the Black Pearl.

As I walked down the pier I spotted a slumbering drunkard with a hat that had fallen off his head; I grasped the hat off of the ground and put it on my own head. The floppy front hid my face, but, some still sober pirates saw a fleeting glance of my dress and turned, but, I made my way away from them far too quickly for them to follow. I made it safely off of the pier, all I needed to do now was to get 'pirate' clothes so that I would fit in and tie up my hair. In this moment I walked past another slumbering pirate next to a clothesline, and, no one was really around...

So, I stole the man's clothes and quickly dressed in black trousers, two brown belts with gun holsters and a rapier holster filled with a rapier, a white, cotton shirt and black vest. I sighed and allowed my hair to lay around my shoulders, for, I would be given away by my bosom anyways. I turned away from the man I took the clothes from and I was immediately grasped by someone; it was a man, he was an inch or so taller than me and blonde hair fell to the bottom of his ears; his eyes were sparkling blue and he wore a small mustache below his nose. He was skinny but not as skinny as the Captain and his grasp was gentle; he smiled when he saw me. "Anna" said he and my face contorted into an expression of confusion.

"H-How do you know me?" I asked, breaking my arm from his grasp; now it was his turn to be confused.

"I'm Raoul; Raoul de Chagny, the man you were betrothed to" he explained.

"Betrothed to?" I asked "sir, I believe we have a mistake; I was never notified that I was being betrothed" said I, backing away from him; he gave a soft smile.

"Well, you were, and I have the paperwork aboard my ship" he explained.

"You're a pirate?" I asked and he laughed.

"Heavens no! I'm a privateer for the French Navy, mademoiselle" Raoul replied with a wide smile; it was kind of goofy and cute; I smiled and now looked at his dress. He wore a dark blue jacket with a red interior, a black ascot, a white, stripped petticoat and matching white trousers complete with black, buckled shoes with silver shoe buckles and, to hold back his hair, a black bow tied it all in the back. He looked reliable enough; however, I was weary of men captaining boats.

"I don't know, sir" said I, backing away even farther; I was ninety percent sure he was legitimately who he said he was, but, I just needed some time to myself.

"Oh, mademoiselle" Raoul started, sensing my weariness. "I swear I won't hurt you, in fact, I wish to marry you; in truth it was I who approached your parents Will and Elizabeth about the proposal. I'd seen you in a paper somewhere and I couldn't take my eyes off of you." Said he, his cheeks pinking. "I traveled from Paris to London and learned about you and I asked for your hand, and, your parents seeing my wealth and high stature of name agreed.

We set the wedding for Port Royal and then you and I would go wherever we wanted; however, it puzzles me that your parents said nothing of this to you." Raoul concluded; I nodded.

"Me too" I said simply. I sighed and turned half way around, seeing a few people spill from the bar doors behind us. "Do you want a drink?" I asked, pointing behind me. Raoul grinned and nodded, opening the bar doors for me.

"They're on me" said he as we walked through the pirate infested bar. People were laughing and speaking obnoxiously loud; drinking as much as they could and, four fights broke out in a succession of five minutes. As we sat at the bar counter I glanced around the room and I felt my blood turn to ice in my veins as I saw him again, the Captain. He stood in the corner of the room, smoking a cigarette and watching fights unfold before him; I quickly turned back towards the bar maiden and Raoul, attempting to hide my face from him. Raoul's brows furrowed at my alarm and I explained what happened to him; Raoul straightened up and narrowed his eyes in the Captain's direction.

I slapped his arm, not hard, though. "Don't do that" I hissed "he might come over here and believe me he is more hypnotic than you think" I blurted out; Raoul paused.

"Hypnotic?" He asked, staring down at me, he scoffed and laughed whilst my cheeks blushed. I pulled my hat down, attempting to block my face from the Captain when, just behind us, a fight broke out and I had no choice but to turn or I would be even more suspicious to him than I more than likely already was!

I kept my face as hidden as I could, but, I couldn't keep my eyes off of him, the Captain, I mean. I didn't know why but my eyes were glued to him and I watched every one of his graceful moves; the shaking of his cigarette, the tapping of his foot, how he slowly blew swirling, grey smoke between his lips and into the atmosphere around us, the slight smile that arrived upon his face when he turned away from the fight and closed his eyes. When I finally ripped my eyes from him I found that the fight was over and the bar maiden had finished pouring my drink; I turned back to my drink and took two gulps of it before cringing in disgust and coughing. Raoul chuckled. "First drink, huh?" Asked he, I nodded.

A few moments later I heard the Captain's long strides and respect-demanding footsteps start up and come closer, then, he stopped directly behind me. I closed my eyes and something was placed onto the bar, I glanced over to see his long, green skinned hand over a small, piece of paper. Then, I felt something at my ear. "I'm going to wait for you outside and if you don't come out I'm going to send in the crew men and you'll see how _hungry_ a captain can be" said he, moving his hand away from the paper and I discovered it was money! As his footsteps dimmed I let out a sigh.

"Damn" I breathed, rubbing my face after he disappeared outside.

"What?" Raoul asked, during that encounter he had been watching another fight that ensued upon the second level of the bar.

"I just...I just wanted to go home" said I, Raoul smiled.

"I can take you home, we can go back to London, together" said he, I smiled at his proposal; see, someone did want to take me home!

"I can't" I said.

"And why ever so not? You've already broken the rule of not talking to strangers and having your first drink what else is there to break?" He asked, I laughed and sighed; he smiled.

"I mean, Raoul, he'll find me if I do come with you; he'll find me and take me back a-and kill you." I said tapping the glass of my drink. "I have to go outside and back to his ship or something worse will happen" I said softly; in this moment the back of my shirt was grabbed and I was ripped to the floor, gaining the breath being knocked out of my lungs. I gasped and rolled over, my hat falling off and I was kicked in the stomach and tripped over; causing me to fall onto my back. The door to the bar was thrown open and a greater fight ensued, and, this time, the Captain was in it!

He pounded mercilessly on the man who tore me away, and then threw that same man against the wall and began beating on the man who kicked me! I laid on the ground before him as he straightened up again and the entire bar fell silent; he turned to me and pulled me up, he was breathing heavily and he yanked me out of the bar. But, Raoul wasn't going to let me go so quickly; Raoul grasped onto my other arm and the Captain paused as I whimpered in pain at the two men's strength. The Captain turned and let go of my hand, now addressing Raoul, the Captain glanced over Raoul's appearance and chuckled; the heart-stopping menace had returned. "A privateer, I should've known" the Captain said, this was followed by a chorus of hissing and, a few men threw their cool beverages on Raoul!

Yet, even in this Raoul remained calm.

"What country? You're not British, not African...hmm...French, perhaps?" The Captain asked; keeping me behind him.

"Oui, monsieur" Raoul answered, wiping the hair and alcohol out of his eyes.

"Well, monsieur, I suggest you take your pompous ass and get your little, greedy, French paws away from my woman" the Captain hissed and the world seemed to stop for me. His woman?

Wait...what?

Raoul was struck with the same shock as I, but, he managed to laugh his away. "Your woman? Monsieur, I am either mistaken or you are, but, I see no ring gracing her finger to specify that she is yours" said Raoul; now, the Captain smiled and the crowd behind Raoul stepped a few paces away in consequence of this. The Captain nodded.

"You are indeed correct, sir. But, does one truly need a ring to signify what is theirs? Must I buy a ring for my rum? Must I buy a ring for my ship?" Asked the Captain and he was followed by a chorus of laughter; both male and female.

The Captain now turned to me and two of his crewmates. "Take her back to the ship and lock her in my quarters" the Captain said; the crew members grasped my arms and escorted me out. Raoul lunched for me but the Captain held him back and threw a punch for his cheek, starting a fight. By the time we were upon the pier and walking aboard the Black Pearl the Captain was trailing after us; a cigarette between his lips.


	6. Deal

_Chapter Six: Deal_

~~ The men took me back into the captain's quarters and placed me gently down in the circle of satin pillows, turning and leaving without so much as a word. A few moments later and the Captain approached the threshold, leaning on the doorframe with his right hand sunken into his pocket and his left holding the cigarette which he retrieved between his lips and puffed out smoke; like a dragon. His yellow eyes burnt softly now and lazily drifted over to me, a smile inked upon his lips. The cigarette died within moments and the Captain threw it do the deck and squished it with his shiny, black boot; sinking both hands into his pockets and closing the door behind him; locking it. "Why?"

He asked simply, standing before me. "Why what?" I asked, attempting to sound casual, but, by the way he smiled, I figured I did that in vain.

"Why did you escape? Have I not treated you regally? Have you not gotten the utmost respect? Have the men harmed you? If they have I swear I'll have their heads" the Captain hissed, walking over to me and sitting down before me; I scooted back a little.

"No...no one's hurt me since the whip accident. You have treated me quite nicely, and I thank you for that but...I want to go home; back to London, I never wanted to go to Port Royal anyways." I explained; The Captain nodded and grinned.

"Let's make a deal" he started; leaning closer to me. "I'll take you back to your home in London, unscathed, unharmed in any way. But, you've got to do anything I want, whenever I want, where ever I want, when I want it; as long as you stand on this ship." Said he with a smile, sticking out his hand. "Do we have a deal?"

He asked, coming closer to me; I paused and pondered over the idea; but, I didn't take long, the thirst to go home was so overwhelming, without a second thought I grasped his hand and shook it. His grin returned. "Good, now, first order of business; go to sleep and stay asleep; no leaving the ship whatsoever." He ordered, he grasped my arms and heaved me up, so I stood with him; I nodded and sighed, looks like I would be seeing Willy after all! As we walked out of his room together he grasped my hand and stopped me.

"You're no longer sleeping in there, come, your new bedroom is this way" said he, his hand was warm and his skin was surprisingly velvety; I didn't mind holding his hand. He lead me back up the stairs and to a room to the left of his own! It didn't have a plaque on the door, however. "Here it is" said he, as he unlocked the lock with a giant ring of thousands of keys. The door swung open and revealed a quite big room fit with a bed, a built in wardrobe, a built in mirror, a personal WC, and a few built in candelabras.

It was quite bland but it was a hell of a lot better than that prison cell!

"Thank you" I said, turning to him; he had lit up another cigarette and stood behind me; his eyes were soft again and he nodded. He turned to leave, but, before he did I heard his footsteps coming closer to me before I felt a sharp smack on my behind! I cried out and whipped around to see him strolling out of the room; a wink upon his eyelid and a large smile painted upon his lips.

~~ I did as he instructed and fell right to sleep; only to be woken the next day by hands shoving me out of the bed! I gasped and struggled as I fell upon the floor, I looked up with eyes still half asleep to see the Captain standing over me; a cigarette hanging between his lips. "Get up, you have a full day ahead of you" said he; I rubbed my eyes and pushed myself up, only to fall once again upon my butt! He chuckled lightly and helped me up; lifting me by my underarms.

"A full day, what do you mean?" I asked, yawning. He paused.

"Remember our deal? Whatever I want, whenever I want, where ever and whenever I want it." He said, pausing; he leaned close to me and grinned.

"Welcome to the crew" he said with another wink.

~~ My first order of duty was to climb up the mast and clean the crows nest. "Are you insane?" I asked, turning to the Captain; he smiled and shook his head.

"Not yet, sweet cheeks, not yet" he answered; sweet cheeks? Where the hell'd he get that? I shook my head and sighed.

"How am I even supposed to get up there?" I asked him; he pointed to a large rope that was tied to the top of the mast; a bit beyond the crows nest. He was officially insane. Did he really expect me to climb up that with a full bucket of water? "I can't climb up that holding the bucket; I'll fall" I said, turning to him; a cigarette hung between his lips.

"Well, if you can't do that you might as well go back to my quarters and strip naked; you, at least, must entertain me." Said the Captain giving me a sideways glance and smile. I blinked in surprise and lifted the bucket, walking over to the appointed rope and stuffing the rag in my pocket. The Captain laughed until tears fell from his eyes and I was more than half way up the mast! He yelled something to me and I glanced down to him, which, was a terrible idea; I became dizzy and nauseated as I saw how I up I was, I wasn't afraid of heights, but, nor was I fond of them.

The bucket now seemed to weigh ten hundred pounds as it rested upon my arm and I clung to the rope; praying to every god I knew the name of that I wouldn't fall off. I clenched my eyes shut and continued climbing until I felt something tap against my foot; I opened my eyes and found that the top of the mast was only a swing away! I sighed and, as I was about to jump off of the rope and onto the mast, I realized, a bit too late, that my foot was tied up in that very same rope that I clung to. I still have no idea how that was done, but, when I jumped the rope yanked me back by my foot and I dropped the bucket of water; falling downwards, my face smashed against the mast and, after that I hung limply; only staying in the air by the rope. I opened my eyes a bit to see the Captain was soaking wet and the bucket lay beside him, overturned; his cigarette was killed prematurely and it lay before him.

He yelled at me to get down, but, I could only groan in response; when my face smashed against the mast it caused my teeth to dig into my lip, and, with the pressure of the mast upon the front of my lip, it busted! My lip busted! The Captain growled curses and took off his hat, slicking back his hair and ordering the cabin boy to hold his hat; within moments the Captain was climbing up the rope and reached me, he shook his head and from out of his pocket he took a small knife and cut me free. Catching me before I would, ultimately, plummet to my death; he slung me over his shoulder and there I laid limply, feeling bruises form on my cheeks. When we were upon the deck again he yanked his hat back from the cabin boy and ordered for a few things, one, for a physician in my room immediately, two, for a more experienced crew member to clean the crows nest, and three, to not be disturbed.

The boat's physician, an older man of Indian decent, rushed after the Captain and I, carrying a red, shiny box with a white cross on the top. The Captain gingerly laid me down upon my bed and stepped out of the way of the physician who quickly took a seat beside me and began assessing the damage. He made a clicking noise with his tongue. "Tisk, tisk, you'll need stitches" said he; stitches? Stitches mean needles...and I hate needles. You see, when I was younger I needed stitches and, after I got them, my wound became infected and escaped death by the skin of my teeth! The physician rummaged through the box and pulled out a shiny, silver needle with some type of white thread; I scooted away from the physician and looked pitifully up to the Captain.

"What? You've been whipped before, sweet cheeks, and yet a needle scares you?" The Captain asked with a laugh; the Captain stood behind the physician with his arms crossed and, now, the physician came close to me with the needle. I whimpered and backed ever more into my pillows, away from the needle. "For the love of god, Anna, let the man do his job; do you expect me to stop him from helping you or something?"

The Captain asked when I looked to him pitifully again. It hurt too much to speak, so, I only stared at the Captain; he sighed and shook his head, walking around my bed and placing his hands on my shoulders, holding me down. I trembled as the physician came close to me with the needle; I clenched my eyes shut so as to not 'freak out' when the needle touched me. Soon, water began to gather in my eyes beneath my eyelids and I was forced to open my eyes; staring directly into the Captain's. His eyes were soft and his hands no longer applied pressure to my shoulders, now, they simply sat there, resting; he saw how scared I really was.

How I know this? Well, his right hand lifted from my shoulder and he allowed his fingers to ghost over my flesh, giving me small waves of satisfaction before he took up my hand and held it tightly within his own.

He was comforting me.

I gave a weak smile to him and then the physician sighed. "Alright, Miss. Anna, you're all done" he said; I paused, I hadn't felt a thing! I tore my eyes away from the Captain and they moved to the physician who was smiling, amusingly, at the Captain and I; soon, the Captain realized this and ripped his hand from my own, clearing his throat and straightening his damp trench coat.

"Good, well, uh, go back to scrubbing the deck" the Captain ordered the physician, the physician nodded and smiled to me. He had all of his teeth and they were quite white to be a smile of a pirate! The physician was golden skinned with chocolate eyes and curly hair the colour of mud with a goatee to match; he seemed quite amiable and winked to me before leaving the Captain and I together. The Captain sighed and turned to me. "Can you speak?"

He asked; I sat up and opened my mouth, making nonsense sounds, finally, I nodded. "Good" the Captain said again, more to himself than to me. "Stay out of the crew's way, do whatever you like, I don't care" the Captain ordered; I nodded.

"Yes" said I; the Captain turned and gained one last fleeting glance of me before closing my door. Moments later I heard a small thud and a sigh; the Captain's room was right next to mine so I could hear most of everything that went on in there. I stood from my bed and walked out of my room, attempting to close the door quietly but a wave hit the boat and caused it to slam shut; I heard footsteps to the left of me and then they just stopped. I walked down the stairs to the main deck and then walked down one set of stairs more, to the prison deck. "Willy?"

I asked, walking carefully down the stairs. "Pumpkin! You're back!" Willy cried, standing; I hurried over to him and hugged him through the bars of his cell. He smiled and now turned his attention to my pirate dressing; he shook his head and grasped my hands.

"So, what's happened?" He asked, and I told him everything; he smiled a broken toothed grin. "I think this is the appropriate time to say 'I told you so'!" Willy cried, laughing afterwards; my cheeks flushed crimson and I sighed.

"Today's been a strange day" said I, Willy smiled and gripped my hands within his; his were old, cracking, work hands whilst my own, in contrast, had never done hard labor, as Willy had once done. Willy used to mine for gold before his mining company was put out of business, then, he fought as a privateer in the war and was broke after the war ended, only to become a pirate, and, the Captain's ship to capture his own; killing everyone on that vessel save Willy. Willy still didn't know why the Captain did that. I was at a loss for an answer too. Willy and I spoke for hours in the cool darkness of the prison deck, and, when darkness fell, I decided it was time to leave; saying my goodbye I made my trek up the stairs only to step on something.

I glanced down only to see a piece of paper lying upon the deck. The night was crisp and fresh as the wind blew through my hair; apparently, we had left port some hours earlier, for, we were upon open sea now. I picked up the paper and squinted to read:

_'Dearest, Anna, _

_I'm a hopeless Romantic. Walk with me in the graveyards of gothic cathedrals, transcend the confines of elitist and rationalistic structures of discourse, and join me in an eternal spiritual quest for the strange and sublime'_

I paused as I read it; several times had this paper been crumpled and words struck through with red ink. The words were so intellectual and oozed passion onto the deck as I held the note before my eyes; I turned the note over to find coordinates to where we (the boat) was going! My lips curled into a smile as I suspected who wrote this adoration letter; I glanced up from the letter and saw a glowing, yellow eye peeking out from the peep hole of the door from the Captain's Quarters. He yanked himself back and quickly hid from my gaze; I smiled again and slowly made my way back to my room, laying down upon my bed. "Yes" said I, loud enough that he could hear me through the wall; there was noise that sounded like me moved closer to the wall.

"Yes, I will" I said, softer this time; placing the note upon a small table beside me and curling up against my pillow, a smile glued to my face the entire night.


	7. Food for Thought

_Chapter Seven: Food for Thought_

~~ The very next morning I rose quite later than I did the day before, and, I was completely surprised.

The Captain, nor anyone, came to wake me up!

I stretched and shuffled out of my room quietly; opening up the door to find that it was not at all the least bit pleasant outside. When I opened up the door I was immediately punched in the face by winds I would measure leapt up to fifty miles per hour! I gasped and clasped onto the door for dear life itself! My hair whipped wildly behind me as I raised a hand before my eyes; allowing me to see without the wind tearing off my eyelids. Gargantuan waves clouded with sand, fish, rain water, and god knows what to combine to colour the upsurge cinereal; they pounded the deck of the boat, slamming into it with power that could push the 'Black Pearl' for months at a time!

The pirates dashed as best they could across the deck whilst shielding themselves from the hissing spray and wind that would pull skin from bone; I, without thinking, stepped out of the room and lost my grip on the door, causing it to slam shut behind me and force me forwards. I cried out and slipped, sliding on one foot and falling square on my behind and tumbling to the left as the boat was bashed and fell to its side; quickly balancing itself back and causing all aboard to fall over...again. This balancing of the boat allowed me to take a moment to breathe; I laid flat out on my back and stared up at the sky, which was morphing from a buoyant, ashen quilt of cotton to an obsidian comforter of the finest Persian silks enweaved with rich, xanthous thread; swirling and twirling about the Persian carpet that laid heavily above our heads. I sat up and refocused to see the Captain at the helm of the boat; his hat, miraculously, still sat upon his head! He threw the wheel to his left and the boat snapped to the left; spinning us around and saving us from a wave that would've surely destroyed us!

I stood and stumbled to the mast; grasping onto it and looking back up to the wheel to see that it was vacated! It spun vigorously; against the wind and waves. My eyes slipped down the banister of the stairs and blundered about the deck; only locking onto the Captain when it was entirely too late. He yanked me away from the mast and lifted me off of the deck; running until we reached some type of room, he threw open the door and rushed inside with me, slamming the door shut afterwards. As we arrived in the room, however, the boat was smacked by another wave, to the port side.

His body was slammed upon the ground and I landed gently, with he as my pillow. I paused as my head laid against his chest and we both only breathed; he smelt of sea salt and cigarette smoke, and yet, I found this scent wasn't displeasing. I lifted my head and stared at him in quiet stupefaction; his face wasn't as horrid as I thought it once to be, and, though his eyes still glowed bright yellow, they no longer blazed and to me they seemed almost...tame. I forgot, apparently, that I still lay atop him...until I felt something press against my pelvis; his face contorted from an expression of softened surprise to a perverted grin. Whatever was poking into my pelvis, poked harder and I broke out of what hypnotistic trance he placed me under; gasping and shooting up from him, stumbling away and expecting to see something not very gentlemanlike at all.

I turned back and glanced down at the Captain to find that he held his revolver close to his manhood; the gun sat vertically in his palm, mimicking an erection. The grin never dimmed from his face, no, it _brightened_ if anything! He stared in amusement as my cheeks burnt and the boat began to balance out again; he stood now and placed his revolver back into its holster, clearing his throat. "Well, then, now that I've expanded all of your craving for _excitement_ and given you the adrenaline rush which so hurried to your cheeks, you are to stay put until I am to call for you." He finished, walking past me and to the door.

"But, you can't-" I attempted to say, stepping towards him.

"The deal" he said simply, hushing me instantly. He smiled and paused before leaving; closing the presently opened door. "You know, I saw that grave look upon your face when you discovered it was only a revolver" said he with a grin; my eyes winded.

"I did no such thing! What you did was completely uncalled for and...perverted" I growled, meaning to insult him. He gasped sarcastically and changed his tone to a higher pitch, meaning to mimic my voice.

"Oh, dear, it was! I'm terribly sorry, madam, let me go run around a pirate ship and be completely called for" he said, laughing afterwards.

"You're not funny" I hissed, crossing my arms and turning away from him.

"Oh" he started; his tone returning to normal. "I'm getting the cold shoulder now, am I? Oh, I'm terribly sorry for offending thee, your highness." Said he, bowing to me and snickering. I rolled my eyes, but, decided not to sink down to his level; I stared hatefully at the bookshelves before me, he sighed now.

"You know, I'm not asking for anything here; I've saved your little ass what...twice...thrice now? And you're going to act like a..." he faded off and sighed; all of a sudden, I was yanked from my position and fell backwards, into his arms and he pulled me upwards; holding my feet off of the ground and my ear to his lips. "I could've done so many horrid things to you, Anna; I could've shaken you awake from your innocent little daydreams and shown you the nightmare that is the real world. I could've corrupted you, Anna, and yet, I haven't. I want you to think very long upon that subject the next time you decide to drink with your little privateer boyfriend."

The Captain hissed, the last words spilling from his mouth as growls; I broke his grasp and faced him. "He's not my boyfriend! He's nothing to me-"

"Not what your parents decreed" he countered, lighting another cigarette and sticking it in his mouth.

"Well...they're dead now, so their opinions really _don't_ matter, do they?" I spat; his left eyebrow raised and he gave a slight smile, puffing out smoke.

"Smart girl" he commented, popping the death stick back between his lips. I paused and sighed; why was he so irritating? I closed my eyes and turned away from him, rubbing my face in agitation; however, when I turned back 'round to him, he was smiling again.

"What?" I asked in annoyance, he took the cigarette out of his mouth.

"You really were disappointed, though." He said with a grin; I became so angry and lunged forwards and yanked the cigarette out of his mouth, opening the door and throwing it out, watching it as it landed in the ocean. I shut the door and glared at him with pride. "Well" he started as I walked away from the door and sat at a small table that stood in the middle of the room. "I need something to put into my mouth, now" he added, smiling to me.

"How about your own foot?" I suggested in exasperation; he chuckled and sat on the table.

"No, I was thinking something far more easy. Like, oh, let us say a naïve girl with brunette hair and blue eyes who wanted to go home so bad she agreed to a deal that was so sketchish Leonardo de Vinci wouldn't dare lay a finger upon it. I'm thinking she's more of my speed" said he, leaning closer to me; I paused, he was right about one thing, I was stupid to agree to that deal. I held up my index finger.

"My hair is _dirty blonde_, not brunette." I specified, this caused him to fall into a fit of laugher; and, this was my only weapon, if you can indeed call it a weapon at all, against him. In all honesty, I was afraid of him, afraid of what he would do to me, afraid if he would really follow out with his promises. And, being sassily comical is how I dealt with those uncertainties. All of a sudden the door was thrown open and the Captain shot up, regaining his cool and majestic façade.

"What?" He hissed, staring darkly at the crew member that entered.

"Uh, s-sorry sir, but, it l-looks like 'eve come upon 'notha port, sir." The crew member was the cabin boy, and, he held the knob to the door with a trembling hand.

"Which one?" The Captain questioned.

"Punta Corella" the cabin boy answered; the Captain nodded and sent him away, turning his attention back to me. The Captain grasped my arms and yanked me up, intertwining my arm with his own.

"We're going to get a drink, and by 'we', I mean me and I'm not going to drink much so I can keep an eye on you and your love of escaping" said he, pulling me out of that room and over the deck, and walking with me onto the pier.

~~ The sun was now shining and the powder blue blanket now covered the sky; leaving more than enough room for the golden sun to poke his head out from behind the ocean. Quite an odd time, I figured, to get a drink. But, what I soon found was, for a pirate, drink time is any time; be it day or night. The Captain took me into the bar and I found it was exactly like Tortuga! However, there were more ladies in whoreish outfits lying all over the men; my god, had their mothers raised them this way?

They should be absolutely ashamed of themselves!

The bar was dirty and grimy and the air was thick with cigarette smoke, sweat, and the laughter of drunken men. No sooner had we sat down at the bar than several ladies crowded around...me! They played with my hair and pulled at my clothes, and, the Captain watched in nothing but utter amusement as he sipped upon his large glass of rum. "Girls" the Captain started, gaining all of our attention; his voice was smooth again, and wonderful to listen to. "Why don't you take Anna upstairs and show her how a woman dresses, hmm?"

...Except when he said that.

The girls yanked me upstairs with them, apparently, they owned rooms above the bar. They ripped my clothes away from me and tossed me back into a corset and dress; curling my hair with rods and only putting a 'dash' of makeup upon my face. "You've got a wonderful completion, darling, but, every woman needs a bit of powder!" The woman handling the makeup said with a smile, in a quite annoying accent. After the woman were finished dressing me they tossed me into a chair and marveled at their handiwork.

"You're perfect; now, he won't be able to resist you!" The woman who applied my makeup cried with a large smile upon her face.

"Oh, god, no, he's making so many innuendos as it was." I said with a groan; the women laughed and a few patted me on the back.

"Why don't you want him to want you, sweetie?" The woman that applied my makeup asked.

"I would like to stay pure until marriage, as I was taught." I answered; the women grinned to one another.

"Let me give 'ya a bit 'a food for thought, darlin'. Do 'ya wanna remain pure just 'cuz you were taught that way or 'cuz you really wan' to? Cuz, I was taught, do whatever ya want in live, you only got one of 'em!" She cried, and this was followed my a chorus of nods and 'yes's agreeing in her favour.

I paused, I hadn't thought of that before.


	8. Comfort

_Chapter Eight: Comfort_

~~ I paused as the gaggle of women and I walked down the stairs; I was the last one out of the room and therefor the last one to leave the stairs. I stood in the middle of the stairs and stared down at the women who waited on the floor for me; they looked at me expectantly, but, I couldn't bring myself to step down another stair. "Oy! Come on! Your Cap'n's half way through his second drink; get your lazy bee'hind down them stairs now!"

One of the ladies yelled at me; I bit my bottom lip and sighed. "M-May I speak with you, please?" I asked, pointing to the woman who applied my makeup. "In private?"

" 'Course, darlin'." The woman said, lifting up her dress and walking up the stairs; taking my arm gently in her hand and leading me back up to the room I was taken into to get dressed. "Now, what's the matter?" She asked, closing the door behind her; without all the rest of the women there, she was sweet and a façade need not be put up. It was hard for me to admit to anyone my feelings, the only one I talked of them to was Sophie, because, for some reason or other I felt completely comfortable with her and she understood me.

I sighed and lifted my little taters of courage from the ground, knitting them into a blanket and wrapping it around me; I breathed out: "I'm...I'm scared." I paused and the woman sat beside me on a large bed; gently touching my knee. "No...I'm not scared I'm...terrified. I'm alone and I don't know what he'll do to me now...I mean, he's abstained from touching me so far but the sheer number of innuendos he's made so far is unsettling enough-" I attempted to say, but, the woman interrupted me.

"Start from the beginning of your troubles." Said she, I nodded and poured my heart out to her, the excess liquid dripping from the cotton of our dresses onto the floor and falling through the cracks in the floorboards; no doubt the steaming hot, crimson liquid fell onto a few heads of the bar-goers. I was sobbing on her shoulder to the point where I began to feel nauseous; I looked up to her and nodded.

"That's why I'm terrified; my parents and nanny are dead, I'm stuck on a pirate ship with a Captain who scares me so bad sometimes that..." I faded and sighed "but" I began again, wiping my tears away. "He's not like that all the time, sometimes he can be very sweet; I-I found a note I suspect to be written by him and though I can't quote it from memory, my god, that was the most romantic note I've ever received! A-And he gave me my own room and...well, didn't kill me." I paused "but, what frightens me the most about him is that, one day, what if he just wakes up and decides not to abstain from touching me any longer? What if he decides that he doesn't want me around the boat anymore and orders his men to kill me?

I...I won't stand a chance! I can barely roll a barrel of gun powder let alone protect myself from a man of his strength and...to be completely honest, height." I finished, the woman enveloped me in a hug and sighed.

"It's alright, I don't believe he'll do either of the things you worry of; he's too scared to do that. I've known him for years, Anna, to those he's close to, his bark is severely bigger than his bite. However, to those who oppose him and/or hurt his family and friends? His bite is the most devastating, nightmarish thing in the world. He can go, from full of life and love to cold and emotionless within seconds; but, he won't do that with you.

Something tells me he just likes to toy with you, as most men do to women they fancy." She said with a grin; I blinked for a few moments, her words entered my ears, but, I couldn't comprehend them! I had so many questions and she read them upon my face with a laugh. "Darling, I put on that accent for the other women; I was once like you, save, I lived in Victoria Falls, Africa. One day my sister and I decided to go sailing and, to say the least, it ended in disaster; she and I got picked up by the man you call 'The Captain' and brought here, where we made good of what we had.

You know, the rest of The Captain's family lives here too." She said; I paused, he had a family? I had forgotten, in those strange days, that he had a family too! He had to be a baby at some point, he had to have a mother and father take care of him, maybe even a sister or brother to play with him. But, I hadn't really given much thought to that, I just figured he kind of popped out of air as he is and never aged.

"He does? Is that why we're ported here?" I asked, the woman smiled.

"I don't know; I actually think he ported here so you could meet me. You more than likely don't see it but, he's actually the best, most observant person I know of; he knows when people are sad, or angry, or happy and that's why he's such a great captain, he knows how to keep his crew happy." She replied, I nodded. "I believe he saw that you were depressed and needed to talk to another female of around your age; to get things sorted out, for, it seems everything's been so tangled lately in your life, I don't know how you do it!" She cried, laughing; I smiled.

"Me too" I said and we both laughed; whether he meant it or not, I felt quite relieved to open up to someone else besides purely men. To have someone to empathize with me; it was wonderful. There came a soft knock and the woman said for, whomever it was, to come in and there stood the Captain; as per usual, leaning on the doorframe.

"Come, Anna, we've got to go" said he in his usual, smooth tone.

"But...we've only just ported" I said, I didn't want to leave my new friend; I didn't know how I would fend without her!

"I know, but...we've just...we've got to go" said he; the woman grinned.

"Mummy here?" She asked and he gave a deep sigh.

"Isabelle" He hissed, pausing. "Yes" he answered after a few moments of silence.

"Oh, let Anna meet her!" The woman beside me said.

"You've gone mental" the Captain said, lighting up a cigarette. The woman glared at him until he walked into the room and through it out of the window. "Happy?" He hissed.

"Perfectly" she answered. "Now, why won't you let Anna meet her? She said not to return without a woman and here you are! A woman and everything!" Isabelle (the woman who sat beside me) cried; a smile enveloping her features.

"No" he said, tapping the windowsill. "We have a mutual hatred and she can cry about me in her grave" he hissed; Isabelle sighed in exasperation.

"You don't mean that"

"Damn if I don't!" He yelled at her, he looked to me and sighed. "Come on, Anna, we need to leave" he said very calmly; I stood from the bed and waved goodbye to Isabelle.

"Thank you" I said to her; she nodded and the Captain grasped my wrist, pulling me out of the room so fast my feet could hardly keep up with my legs! He ran with me to the boat and I could barely keep up. "Slow down! I can't really run in these!" I cried, motioning down to the large heels I was stuck in; he sighed and lifted me into his arms, bridal style, and ran to the boat.

Setting me down upon the bow where he grasped the wheel and barked orders for us to get away from port. As we pulled away from port, however, I turned and saw an oldish woman with greying hair and wrinkles all about her face; she wore a lavender dress and hat and held a charcoal black pistol in her hand. She, originally, held a sour expression on her face, but, once she caught sight of me her expression lightened and she placed the pistol back in a small, lavender purse that swung on her left arm. "Who _is _she?" I asked; looking from the Captain back to the woman, the Captain turned from the wheel and stood beside me.

"My mum" he replied, disgust contorting his already disfigured features ever more.

~~ Thankfully, the Captain allowed me into his room once more, where he picked out the smallest of his clothes and gave them to me; he stood in the threshold and stared at me as I held the clothes. "Aren't you going to change?" He asked, smoking a much needed cigarette.

"Yes...but, I was thinking of doing so behind a dressing screen" I replied; he smiled.

"You're on a pirate ship, sweet cheeks, there is no such thing as decency." He said, smirking.

"I don't see your men out there getting naked...ever. I don't see you in your birthday suit, why need I be around you?" I asked, stepping closer to him; a smile developed upon his face and let the cigarette drop from his fingers onto the deck, crushing the last breaths out of it with his shoe. He stepped out of the way of the threshold and allowed me out of his room; whacking my behind as I left. I gasped and whipped around, glaring at him as he snickered and watched me walk into my room.

~~ I smiled at myself after I changed; this was so much more comfortable than a dress! No breath yanking corset, no scratchy bodice, no sucking in and looking proper; ah, men didn't realize how wonderfully easy they had it! I wore his cotton shirt and black vest along with black trousers and black boots and a black belt with holsters built into it for a gun and a rapier; I stood and stared at myself in the mirror, I looked truly like a pirate now!

I walked to the small porthole window in my bedroom and glanced out of it to see something upon the horizon. It wasn't small enough to be debris, and yet, it wasn't very big; then again, it was far, far away. As it approached I saw defining shapes of a ship; the sails were white and the wood was light, a French flag whipped about from the top of the ship. I bolted out of my bedroom and ran up to the bow; where the Captain stood, his yellow eyes narrowed at the approaching ship. "Raise the flag" he ordered to the cabin boy, who ran to the other crew members and, within seconds, the Jolly Roger flew proudly; meaning to intimidate the other vessel.

"Do you think" I started, gaining the Captain's attention. "Do you think they'll want to fight?" I asked nervously; glancing up to him, he smiled.

"More than likely not; usually when people catch sight of me they turn and run." He explained; I nodded and attempted to calm the fear that was bubbling in my chest. He smiled again to me and grasped my hand; leaving his first mate, of whose name I knew not, to steer the ship. He gently pulled me down the stairs, across the deck, and into his room where he sat me on the bed and told me to wait. Within moments he returned bearing a large shiny sword with a golden handle and golden designs and words carved into the blade; he held this lightly and sighed as he placed it in my own hands.

"You wanted protection, there's a rapier for hand to hand combat" he said, and, taking a pistol out of his own holster, he put it in mine. "Do you know how to use a gun, Anna?" He asked; I shook my head and he took the rapier from me; placing it in my holster and taking the gun out again. He placed the gun in my palm and stood behind me; his hands still held the gun too, though, they laid over my hands and fingers. "What you do first is cock the hammer" he whispered into my ear, both of our thumbs pulled back a strange, little switch thing on the back of the gun which was, apparently, the hammer.

"Next, you aim" he said, our arms were already outstretched and the gun pointed to the door. "Finally, you pull the trigger, and fire" he finished, looking down to me; our fingers sat on the trigger, he was waiting for me to pull it. I closed my eyes and pulled back the trigger and the gun went off! It forced me backwards, into the Captain and he chuckled; he patted my shoulder and put the gun back in my holster. "You'll use that in farther away combat, say, if someone's shooting at you, you shoot right back and aim for their forehead or chest."

He paused and sighed; walking around me and back to the door. "And, if you feel the need that I am becoming too harsh with you...me" he said finally, clearing his throat and leaving me in his room. I paused; he heard my conversation with Isabelle. He may have not heard all of it, but he heard enough; I sat down upon the ground and thought over everything I said, finally shaking my head. He was giving me permission to possibly maim or kill him if he goes off the deep end, hell, he was giving me a gun and a rapier to do so!

All to make me feel more comfortable.

...I wanted to hug him.

I needed to hug him.

And, that's just what I did; I ran as fast as I could out of his room, down the stairs, and to him. Throwing my arms around him and holding him to me; my face burying into his chest. His hands fell to my waist and he held me close; stroking my hair. Then, I realized, everyone was silent; I looked up from his chest to see that he was smiling to me, and not his normal, sarcastic smile, this was genuine. I smiled back to him and glanced over to see the boat that was once miles behind us, floating alongside of us; all of the men aboard the ship were grinning and snickering.

They were at once called to attention when a familiar face stepped forwards; a face I invited for a drink, a face I met in Tortuga.

Privateer Raoul de Chagny.


	9. Just Keep Swimming

_Chapter Nine: Just Keep Swimming_

~~ I gasped and attempted to pull away from the Captain, but, he held me to him; smirking to the privateer. Raoul stood on deck with a perfect posture and a stern, emotionless expression as the Captain ran his fingers through my hair and chose a piece, twirling it around his index finger and smiling down to me. I looked up again to Raoul to see his stern expression drip away to one of rage which burnt heavily in both of his eyes; the Captain enjoyed every second of it. "What's the matter, monsieur privateer? Afraid that your girlfriend likes me better?"

He asked, I pinched the Captain's back and he glanced down to me with furrowed brows. "I'm not his girlfriend" I hissed through gritted teeth; the Captain grinned and nodded.

"It seems, monsieur privateer, she is not your girlfriend" the Captain said, sticking his bottom lip out in pseudo sadness.

"You are correct, my dear sir. We're betrothed; her parents agreed to it." Raoul said; I groaned and broke from the Captain's tight grasp.

"I am no one's! Do you hear me? _No one owns me_! I am my own person" I yelled at the Captain and Raoul both; the Captain was grinning and continued twirling my hair. The Captain walked behind me and rested his arms around my waist.

"Yes, _clearly_, you are no ones. Now, hop along into my quarters and I'll be there in a few moments to change that." He said, turning his head around towards me and smiling; I rolled my eyes and his crew laughed. Raoul shook his head.

"Why do you take this, Anna? Why do you take the sexual comments and perversion? Come to my boat, Anna, I swear you will have none of that here." Raoul said with a gentle smile, extending his hand to me.

"If you leave this boat our deal is off" the Captain said in a whisper into my ear; but, Raoul heard.

"Deal? What deal?" Raoul asked quickly, glancing from the Captain to I.

"It is none of your business, monsieur privateer." The Captain hissed, tightening his grip of my waist; Raoul held his hands up in surrender and stared at me.

"Come over to my ship, Anna, it's much nicer than a pirate ship, believe me, I've been on both! Besides, you can have your own room" Raoul said.

"I already have my own room" said I and the Captain grinned; Raoul sighed.

"A _fully furnished_ room, and, I'll take you wherever you want to go; free of charge, no deals."

"No deals?" I asked, slightly convinced.

"No deals" Raoul said with a smile; the Captain's expression fell and he held me tighter to him.

"...But...what do you get out of it, Monsieur Raoul?" I asked, quite puzzled.

"Simply to travel with you." Raoul answered, still smiling, he knew he was winning me over. I attempted to move forwards but I was yanked in place by the Captain's arms which seemed to double in muscularity within seconds! I turned and glanced at his face to see white rage blanketing his features; in his eyes sparkled composed indignation.

"You're not leaving this vessel" the Captain hissed; turning to his men and throwing me to them, within seconds ten hands were holding me hostage.

"H-Hey! Let me go!" I cried, but, the Captain ignored my pleas and drew his sword to Raoul.

"Lock her in her quarters" the Captain hissed to his men, all of a sudden a gunshot rang out and within seconds mass chaos ensued! Men were rushing from boat to boat, swords drawn and guns blazing; cannon fire clouded the air and pirates swung on ropes above head, teeth gnashing and vocal chords straining. I was shoved into my room and fell as the boat rocked unexpectedly; the men slammed my door shut and I heard the lock click from my uncomfortable position of being pressed up against the wall beside my bed. I stood and on shaking legs and the boat rolled, causing me to fall back, onto my bed; this stumbling around went on for quite a while, until I gave up attempting to walk and clutched onto my bed for dear life. The lock clicked on my door and the Captain came through, I narrowed my eyes at him as he locked the door once more and turned to me.

"What?" He asked, sticking the key down his shirt (he attached the key onto a piece of yarn which he threw around his neck and underneath his shirt.) I stood.

"What the hell was that all about?" I yelled; he sighed and walked over to a chair, sitting down and looking at me. Silence engulfed the room. "Well?" I hissed, "I'm waiting" I continued, placing my hands on my hips and tapping my foot on the ground; the Captain smiled.

"Let's get this straight" he hissed, standing from the chair and stepping up to me; his chest a mere centimeter away from my face, my head stopped at his shoulder! "There's only one woman who may boss me around and she is not you; I did not come from your womb, you will not speak against me." He hissed and my rage blew straight through the top of my head.

"So, what? I'm supposed to hail to your feet just because you're _the Captain_?" I yelled, my cheeks flushing crimson in my anger.

"Well, isn't that what the title 'Captain' is for, you foolish girl? Besides, I don't want you at my feet, I'd much rather you _on your knees_." He hissed; I turned away from him and nearly screamed in anger.

"Why _the hell_ do you do that?" I shrieked; he sighed and calmed.

"Do what?"

"Act like a perverted twelve year old?" I cried in exasperation; breathing heavily and staring at him, he nodded and turned away, biting his cheek.

"Do you like it upon this boat?" He asked quietly, turning back to me. I paused and thought.

"Sometimes" I replied, calming down, again, he nodded.

"I need a definitive answer; yes or no. 'Sometimes' or 'maybe' won't work." He hissed, his tone drew serious and, to be perfectly frank, it was a strange surprise; I wasn't sure if I liked it. My mind reeled and he became angry. "Answer me!" He yelled; his voice deepened and I jumped back.

"Y-Yes!" I cried, my voice shaking from his sudden change.

"Don't you dare lie to me" he hissed; he ripped off the key necklace and threw open the door, ripping it off its rusted hinges. "Get out" he ordered quietly.

"Wha-"

"Get out!" He yelled; I ran out as fast as I could and he followed behind me; my cheeks heated and, I doubt I had been ever scared more! He chased me out onto the deck and his crew cornered me against the port side of the deck; behind me was nothing but ocean and the privateer's vessel was nowhere to be found. "Get off of my boat" the Captain hissed, his eyes, they were glassy! "There is an island three miles to the north of here, it's inhabited, no doubt your boyfriend will be there, now, get off of my boat before I change my mind" he growled, his voice shaking in some moments.

"Change your-"

"Get off!" He shrieked, and he shrieked so forcefully I literally fell off of the deck and into the cool water; I came to the surface, coughing and hacking to see the boat was already leaving me behind. I floated in the same place, watching as the large vessel passed me by, the Captain glaring at me with tear stricken eyes as the 'Black Pearl' disappeared upon the horizon.

~~ I swam and swam but I didn't know north from east! Tears fell from my eyes as I swam, not just from the salt agitating them, but, I was lost and I really did, at times, like it upon that ship. Hell, I even liked the Captain! I agreed to his little poem, why wouldn't he realize that? The sun was hidden behind the ocean and the sky was navy blue, the only thing serving as a light was the crescent moon the stars which twinkled in the sky.

My heart had to be in my feet from how heavy they were, I felt, in a way, betrayed by the Captain, yet, I know this sounds mental, but, I mourned his loss! I felt incomplete and empty inside, in a way, now that I thought of it, his perverted jeers were...almost endearing. Maybe that's the way he thought of them, as endearment.

~~ My shoulders burnt from overuse and many times I thought of giving up, it wasn't until the sky began to light again that I decided upon stopping and floating upon the waves; as I floated I wondered why I hadn't been touched by anything ( a fish, plant, etc.) and immediately became paranoid, swimming once again and wincing as my arms raised above my head to paddle me along.

I was still surrounded by water that entire day and decided I had gone the wrong way; I was so lost there was no hope of being found, and that's when worse turned to worse.

The sky darkened and the grey, Persian rug was laid down over the powder blue, velvet quilt. Rain pelted down upon the earth, waves grew to monstrous sizes and lighting struck the water, boiling it to temperatures I couldn't even fathom! This was such a wrong time to be floating aimlessly around the ocean without the energy to keep my head above the waves; now, there was only one thing I could do. "Help!" I screamed hopefully above the wind as saltwater invaded my mouth and I was forced under by a wave twice my height.

I tumbled and rolled beneath the water, holding my breath as long as I could before breaking the surface again and gasping; screaming the word 'help' until my lungs shriveled and my voice ran horse.

I sobbed and choked as I bobbed over the wave; praying to a god I always went to on Sundays, that I would be saved, that something, anything, would help me.

I prayed for the storm to stop.

I prayed for the Captain to come back.


	10. Abuelo

_Chapter Ten: Abuelo_

~~ It was a long while before the storm stopped, and, when it did my mouth tasted nothing more but of salt, my eyes stung harshly and the more I rubbed them, the harder they stung; my arms and legs were entirely spent, they no longer stung but they were numb and refused to move. So, I allowed my body to float and bob among and atop the waves, which were surprisingly calm; I didn't care about fish or anything anymore, if they didn't get me, starvation, dehydration or drowning surely would! I closed my eyes and sighed, the stinging in my eyes was only now a dull pain (now that they were closed). I thought of the Captain, he was, ultimately, the only thing I could think of! His actions puzzled me, why would he kick me off of the boat right after he fought so hard to keep me on it?

Why did his mood change so quickly? And, most importantly, why did he keep calling privateer de Chagny my boyfriend? I sighed and pushed these thoughts away, I was so deprived and stressed thinking straight was not a good thing to do! I opened my eyes and saw the most wonderful sight I had ever seen: land! It wasn't that far away either!

I rubbed my burning eyes a little to be sure it was true, and, by god there it was! The lush, emerald green trees upon the glowing white sand! I threw my arms around me and muscled through the pain; for, I knew I would be saved. Like a seal, I pushed my body upon the beach with my hands whilst my legs laid limply behind me, pain pulsating throughout them; I flopped down upon my stomach when I was far away enough from the water that I wouldn't be carried away and I slept.

~~ I don't know how long I slept, but, I do know that when I woke, I woke in a completely different place then when I fell into my slumber. It was a smallish, colourfully decorated hut made of light green bamboo sticks, straw, large, deep green leaves and a bit of wood. On the walls were draped cotton blankets of all colours of the rainbow! In one corner, however, there was what looked like a small shrine; three steps lead up to a black, blanketed platform and atop this platform were flowers of every colour, much like the blankets that hung on the walls. In the midst of the flowers was a black bird cage, but, there was no bird inside, instead there was a large, white snake with pink eyes!

My mouth hung open for a moment or two as the snake and I stared at each other, the snake's tongue flicking in and out of its mouth every so often. But the snake did not panic, it did nothing, it just stared at me as I tore my eyes away from it and attempted to focus on the room; hoping to god the cage was firmly locked. Below me layed a lush, crimson carpet, matted and stained with dirt and muck; around me was handmade wooden furniture! It was polished and slicked to shine in the little rays of sunshine that escaped through the gaps in the bamboo poles and blankets. All of a sudden a green blanket was lifted up beside me and I panicked as I saw new people walk into the room.

One was a young woman, no older than I, yet the other was an old man, I would say his age was around seventy to eighty. The female was caucasian and the male was a caramel colour, both had green eyes; the woman's hair was black and the male's was a strange blonde colour. The woman wore a strange fur, like one that belonged once to an animal, as a dress and the man wore several furs; the woman stepped forwards and I scrambled away. "Oh, no, no, no! Please, don't be afraid, we mean you no harm" she assured, placing her hands flat out before her, to show she came baring no weapons.

I paused my scrambling and stared again at the two, my mind so muddled it was almost impossible to think of anything! Both the woman and the man sat down before me and crossed their legs, the woman smiled largely to me and yet the man remained stone faced. "My name is Angelica and this is Abuelo, we found you on the beach, are you okay?" She asked slowly, I paused and gave a shaking sigh, was I okay? I had all of my limbs and everything seemed intact, save my thoughts, I nodded slowly and the woman smiled again.

"Good, what's your name?" Asked she; I sighed.

"A-Anna Turner" I answered quietly; beginning to relax into their crossing leg position.

"Anna, beautiful name. Now, how did you end up on that beach?" Angelica asked, I sighed and told her everything, tearing up a few times in doing so. When I finished Angelica began laughing. "Well, haven't you had quite the adventure!

I too was from London, but, our ship hit a rock not far from here and it sunk; much like you, I was the sole survivor. I've lived here ever since" she explained with a giggle.

"Pray tell, where is 'here'?" I asked, leaning forwards.

"'Here' is Gustavia, not very far from the British Virgin Islands" she explained, I nodded and she grasped my hand, helping me up. "Come, pray tell, Anna, are you active?" She asked, pulling me out of the hut, Abuelo trotting behind.

"Active in what? Physical exercise? Because, I believe I've had quite enough of that for a long while, madam." I explained, causing her to laugh. Around us, it was mostly barren forest, sparse huts were sprinkled about us, peeking between the trees.

Angelica lead me to the top of a cliff where a large group of people were gathered; they all turned to us when they heard our feet snapping small twigs and stepping over fallen leaves. She lead me to the very edge of the cliff and turned me towards her, smiling as the wind whipped our hair before our faces and we struggled to undo this. "Are you...ya know..._active_?" She asked, I nodded, clarity striking my brain for the first time in a while.

"Oh, uh...no?" I said, afraid to give a definite answer; Angelica sighed and turned me away from the crowd, towards the cliff.

"Listen, it's you or me, apparently a caucasian woman is supposed to come to this island and free these people of some serpent monster shit, but, the woman must be a virgin and be pushed from this cliff" Angelica paused and I dug my feet into the ground, a root over my foot, keeping me stable, should she decide to push me. "I've gotten away this long saying that I was raped as a child, but you" she paused again with a grin. "I _know _you haven't let anyone touch you thus far; you've told me your story, after all." She said in a whisper into my ear, I felt a pang of anger and betrayal bump against my ribcage as her arm wrapped around my shoulders.

"Angelica" I hissed, taking her arm off of my shoulder and staring her dead in the eyes. "You think you're so sly, do you? But, may I remind you that I'm not the one who hasn't whispered _the most important things_ in that conversation?" I asked, and she turned to find the gathered crowd was now an angry mob. A few women cried out in a different language and the Abuelo stepped forwards, silencing them; he walked straight up to Angelica and shoved her off of the cliff!

I attempted to jump for her but forgot my foot was stuck in the root which yanked me back and caused me to fall onto my stomach. Her screams echoed against the rock wall and wailed over the waves, but, within seconds, after a loud, eerie thump, all was silent and the only thing to hear was the wind howling against the cliff and the waves bashing the rocks. I turned away and felt a strange lump form in my stomach, I had just witnessed a murder, and no one did a thing about it! I was nauseous as the Abuelo took me back to the same hut I woke in and we drank tea together; he spoke sparsely, truthfully, almost none! But, when he did, I found his voice was quite deep and methodical; he finally placed his tea down upon a saucer and looked up to me, saying three words.

"He'll be back"

"Who?" I asked quietly, placing my own tea down.

"Your Captain man, he's not just going to leave a woman like you unattended." He said, I laughed and smiled.

"Thank you, but, he's the one who threw me off of his boat in the first place; I don't know why, if he cared about me so much...he's just...too confusing." I answered with a sigh, poking at my cup of tea. The Abuelo smiled and stood, placing his tea cup next to the cage and allowing the white snake to drink from the cup! My mind boggled and he turned towards me.

"Oh, yes, he'll most definitely come back"

~~ Abuelo allowed me to stay the night in the hut and the very next day he told me to sit on the far shore and watch for a boat; I saw two.

One boat was, indeed the Black Pearl and the other, I couldn't say. They seemed to float peacefully beside each other for a while before gunfire rang out; I shot up from my seat and attempted to see something, anything, but to no avail! They were far too far away! However, within the hour, the ship opposing the Black Pearl was nothing but debris floating upon the water; as the minutes passed the Black Pearl came closer and closer to the island; I huffed and anger flared inside of my chest, I turned from where I was stationed and walked back to the hut!

Call it pride, call it ego, but if the Captain wanted me back on his ship, he would have to be pretty convincing. I sat beside the cage and stewed, glancing over at the white snake that seemed unmoved by my presence, that is, until I began talking to it. "Why are men so infuriating? Especially him? He has to be so wishy-washy, I don't understand why!

One moment he risks his life so that I may stay on his boat and not even an hour later he kicks me off! Then, oh, and get this, now he's coming back for me? Jesus, I would pay to see what goes on in that head of his." I ranted, turning towards the snake and talking; the snake seemed highly interested in my conversation with it, it moved with me and came to the edge of the cage, like it was listening! In this moment I heard a slight hissing, well, to be perfectly honest, it sounded more of a rattle!

Like a baby's toy! I blinked quickly, in confusion and glanced over to the snake to see a strange object on the back of its tale vibrating speedily from side to side as it came ever closer to me, sticking its head through the bars. I backed away and the entire snake slipped out of the cage, the rattle intensifying! I stood and backed away slowly, moving towards the blanket which acted as a door; I didn't know what that rattle meant, but I could tell it wasn't anything good! The snake, I would like to say, leapt, forwards just as I yanked my legs back; alas, I was too slow for a snake's strike.

Its teeth sunk into my ankle and I fell down, letting out a scream. The pain, for a few moments, was unbearable! I screamed and the snake fell away from my ankle, as it did so a searing sensation took up a home in my ankle, as well as my ankle began to swell and turn colours skin is most certainly not supposed to turn! I pushed myself away from the snake and Abuelo, the Captain and some other man came running into the hut; Abuelo rushed to the snake and, well, chopped its head off! The Captain ran to me and immediately placed his mouth on my wound site; he was attempting to suck out the venom!

After he sucked and spit around four times he heaved me up, onto a couch and sent for the physician as fast as he could run! "Don't move, it will only rush the venom to your heart; I got as much as I could out." Said he, I looked up to him to see that blood lined his thin lips; I wiggled in pain and grasped his hand.

"I swear to god" I hissed, gaining his attention again. "If you ever kick me off of that boat again, you're going to get it" I added, groaning; he smiled but remained silent. I'll spare you more of the bloody details of the whole affair, let's just say I met the needle again; and was given much medicine. When it was over, the fixing me part, was over, the Captain carried me back to the ship and laid me down in his bed; his was much more soft than my own, I was quite jealous. He sat on the side of the bed for a while without saying so much as a word; until I spoke up.

"Why?" I asked quietly. He glanced over to me.

"Why, what?"

"Why did you kick me off?" I asked with a yawn. He shook his head and fiddled with his long fingernails.

"It's...none of your concern"

"None of my concern?!" I asked, my voice cracking. "It's all of my concern! It deals _directly with me_!" I cried; he smiled and patted my head.

"Don't worry about it now, you need to heal. Sleep, you are in no danger of death, I'm sure of that." he said, standing and sighing. He bent over and placed a small kiss on my forehead; hurrying to the door and pausing once he held it halfway open, turning back to me with a grin. "I finally got you in my bed" said he with a wink; I groaned and shook my head as he laughed his way out of the room.


	11. Wonderful Idea

_Chapter Eleven: Wonderful Idea_

~~ I jolted awake and sat up, glancing around the room. I was still in the Captain's plush bed, the cotton covers resting limply on my legs and my hair sticking to my face from sweat; I had begun to have a nightmare, thank god I woke from it! As I sat up I breathed heavily and glanced around the room to see a large, black mass laying upon the couch; a few moments later and I heard snoring, deep, low snoring. I blinked a few times and rubbed my eyes to find the black mass shape into a person, the person's feet hung off of the side of the couch and one of the person's arms hung off of the couch whilst the other rested on the person's chest. I squinted to see the Captain's hat covering the person's face and I gave a slight smile, it was the Captain, I should've known!

The snoring had gone silent but the Captain never moved a muscle. "Go back to sleep, Anna" he groaned, now tilting up his hat, revealing his yellow eyes which burnt like two miniature suns.

"I had a nightmare" I said quietly; the Captain sighed and sat up, rubbing his face.

"What of?" He asked, finishing rubbing his face and looking up to me. I paused, what was my nightmare again?

"I-I...can't remember" I said, attempting to think back upon it; the Captain grinned and laid back down, pulling his hat back over his eyes.

"Then, go back to sleep." He said, placing his hands behind his head.

"Well...what if it comes back?" I asked, picking at the cotton sheet.

"I didn't give you a sword and gun for nothing" Said he in a calm tone; I nodded and laid back down, attempting not to move either of my ankles, for, I forgot which one was bitten! I closed my eyes but I couldn't force myself back asleep! I tossed and turned, I counted sheep and thought peaceful thoughts, but, I couldn't sleep again! "What's wrong?" The Captain asked with a sigh.

"I can't sleep" I answered with a yawn; he stood and growled a few curses under his breath, walking over to the bed and stopping at the footboard.

"What do you need to help you sleep?" He asked, I shrugged. I never had sleeping problems before; he shook his head and lit a few candles, holding up his index finger and walking out of the room. He returned moments later bearing the boat chef, he was smiling; in his hand he held a half a glass of warm milk.

"It's all we had, my dear" said the cook.

"Oh, well, then take it ba-"

"No, you will drink it" the Captain interrupted, leaning on the doorframe. I sighed and took up the glass, drinking as the chef spoke to me.

"You know, when I was young my mother used to sing my brothers and I songs when we couldn't sleep; out of all those years of my mother singing to me, the Swedish songs worked the best. Now, I can't sing at all, you would want to tear your ears from your skull if I did so" the chef said, pausing and allowing me to laugh. "But, I hear the Captain has quite the voice" the chef said, turning and smiling to the Captain who sighed in frustration and ground his teeth.

"That's completely-"

"Correct" The chef interrupted the Captain with another grin. "Don't even pretend that it's not, I've heard you all by your lonesome in here, singing. Several of the other crew members have too; go on, sing to her." The Chef said, I smiled and finished the milk, placing the glass on the table beside me and snuggling down into his bed.

"I don't know any Swedish lullabies" the Captain hissed through gritted teeth.

"Sure you do! You sang _'Jag Vat En Dejlig Rosa'_ one day, may I add that it was beautiful." The Chef said and the Captain's cheeks pinked! They actually turned the colour pink! The Chef hurried to the Captain's side and pulled him in the room, standing him before the bed and closing the door; the Captain turned to the Chef and glared at him.

"Privacy" the Captain hissed, the Chef nodded and bowed to me, wishing me a good night and closing the door after him. I smiled and waited for him to begin; he didn't start until a few moments later. "I'm not as good as he says I am" the Captain said quickly, before singing; I smiled and nodded, he sat down upon the bed, turned away from me at first. I would write down the words for you, dear reader, if I knew them! The words flowed so cleverly and without hitches, his voice was so smooth and soft; the song was perfect for him to sing!

His voice most definitely lulled me, so much so that I closed my eyes and practically felt my body fall limp; at the end of the song he sighed and I grasped his hand before he could stand. "Could you sing it again, please?" I asked quietly, half opening my eyelids; he gave a small smile which disappeared within seconds and nodded. I smiled and closed my eyes again, my hand falling limp upon his own; oh-so hesitantly, his fingers moved between my own and sat upon my hand. I smiled and as the song was close to ending he leaned forwards and quietly kissed my forehead, and in a hushed tone, finishing the song.

I was in a strange, zone-like state when I felt his warm, velvety hand leave my own and he stood quietly from the bed; making the trek back over to the couch and laying back down with a sigh.

~~ Apparently, I fell into a deep sleep, for; I didn't wake until I heard the whistle of a tea kettle. I sat up and gasped, glancing frantically about the room to see the Captain sitting in his ring of satin pillows, a book in hand. It was a black book that he was writing in, I guessed it was his journal; his eyes lazily tore from the page and floated over to me. "Sleep well?" He asked, standing from his ring of satin pillows and moving to the kettle of tea, taking it off and pouring two cups, one of me and one for himself.

I sighed and nodded. "T-The kettle just scared me" I explained and he nodded, handing me a cup and sitting on the side of my bed. He took a sip from his cup and sighed.

"You tell no one of my singing ability" he hissed, staring hard at me; I giggled and nodded, taking a gulp of the tea, sighing happily as it warmed my throat.

"It'll be our little secret" said I; the Captain smiled and gave a chuckle a few moments afterwards. "What?" I asked as he stood and placed his cup of tea on the inn table beside the bed and walking to the door.

"Oh, it's just something that makes me a perverted twelve year old" he replied, walking out of the room. I shook my head and glanced down to the floor to see his journal; I grinned and pulled myself forwards, using the bedpost and my arms, and let my body fall to the floor, inching forwards until I firmly held his journal in my grasp. I glanced around like a criminal about to steal a diamond and opened it to the date in which he took me prisoner. It read:

_'Today was monumentally boorish, save, when we came across another boat; the union jack flew high and I spotted dignitaries striding about the deck. Not to mention a pretty little prize waltzing around in a nightgown. She was sunning herself, reading a book, when she spotted The Black Pearl she became shaken, but I got a good look at her face; she was a china doll, indeed! She called a woman up to her and they spoke until the doll stood and hurried below deck; she didn't come up again until the fighting ensued. I ordered the men to capture her, and to anyone who hurt her, I would personally slit their throat; besides, who would have the heart to hurt such a frailly beautiful thing as she?_

_At one point of the men cornered her with his sword to her throat and we stared at each other; she was scared, terrified, no doubt, she was the daughter of a wealthy family she hadn't experienced anything like this before. But, as we stared, visually, she relaxed; she was awe-struck. I started moving down the stairs and she broke our eye contact and rushed to the Captain's Quarters where my men broke down the door and dragged her down; transferring her to the Black Pearl. I didn't want to force her to watch her parents die, but, she turned and witnessed them being thrown off of the boat she once traveled upon; I had to lock her in the prison deck, I'm not ready to speak with her yet, besides, I must get a room made up for her.' _

I paused after reading. 'China doll', 'pretty little prize', 'frailly beautiful'? He had watched me quite a long time! I sighed and flipped a few pages, eager to see his reasoning behind throwing me off of the boat.

_'That arrogant little privateer dared to show his face again, my god, this man needs to learn what a 'hint' is and how to take it when ten pirates are pummeling you in a bar! He thought he could take me on? Me? The pirate all pirates fear? Ha!_

_What a joke, an eunuch, a fop, a poseur! His insolence stuns me, how many times must I beat him? Never mind him, sweet Anna came running out of my quarters today, since I gave her my grandfather's sword and my own revolver and she hugged me! She buried her head into my chest and threw her arms around me; I couldn't believe it for a few moments, it seemed so surreal. We held each other for quite some time before she realized the fop stood on the boat opposite to us; my little china doll attempted to break my grasp but I wouldn't let her go, he needed to know she was mine._

_The privateer asked her to come to his boat, and she attempted to break from my arms and leave, she wanted to leave me! So, I...I locked her in my quarters...what else could I have done? I defended her, I fought the stupid boy off and when I went to speak with her she yelled at me; my little china doll yelled at me. Then, I knew I had a heart, for it was heavy and weighed down my feet as I made my trek to the door; I told her to get out, I yelled at her now, she was scared. I daresay she was terrified, I didn't know what I was doing, I still don't know what I'm doing, I wanted to scream and rip my body in half; I wanted to stab my heart for ever betraying me like that. _

_Allowing me into be wrapped around someone's pinkie finger, I think not! I was so kind to her, too kind to her! Damn my heart and damn my mind! How could I allow myself to be carried away like that? I should've killed her, I should've killed her along with her family; now...I guess...I guess I did. _

_I kicked her off of the boat and left her floating in the water; my god, a sword through the heart would've been paradise compared to watching her head bob up and down in the water; her eyes red with salt agitation and a storm approaching. I turned the boat around five times to go fetch her again, but every time I did we were blown off course by the wind and when I reached the spot I left her, she was nowhere to be found. We've been searching for two days now and there's no sight of her; why must I have a heart?' _

My eyes stung with tears; he cared for me! Five times he turned 'round for me_, five times_! I set down his journal where he left it and clambered back into bed; attempting to calm myself. He keeps a façade up of perversion and demand when others are near (and when we first met) but, in reading his thoughts, he was actually a quite emotional man; an emotional, lovesick man. I smiled and batted away tears before he entered the room again, sighing and wiping his forehead. "How's your ankle?" He asked, not even glancing up to me as he gulped down the cold tea.

"Fine" I said in a sob logged throat. He instantly paused and turned to me, he blinked and sat down on the bed.

"What's wrong?" He asked, concern glittered in his eyes; I grinned and touched his cheek, sniffling.

"Nothing, I just...I came to a few realizations, that's all" I explained; he pulled away from my hand and nodded, clearing his throat and walking over to his journal; hurriedly stuffing it back into the bookshelf and allowing his fingernails to run over the spines of his books. He walked back over to me and lifted up the bottom of the cotton blanket, revealing my ankle which was now back down to normal size and colour; he helped me out of bed and it took a little time, but, I was walking on it again! He grinned and placed his hands on my waist, dancing me about the room and finally dipping me down; I laughed and giggled until my cheeks burnt red. "I didn't know you danced!" I cried with another giggle; he twirled me and held my back to his chest.

"There's quite a lot you don't know of me" he whispered into my ear; I closed my eyes and smiled, a warm, tingling sensation filling my chest.

"Oh? What more didn't I know about you?" I asked, opening my eyes again to see him staring at me.

"Well, as I said before, quite a lot." Said he, I rolled my eyes playfully.

"There's a lot you don't know about me too!" I said, he chuckled.

"You're not wrong, say, what if we had a night where we strictly asked each other questions about the other person...possibly over food?" He asked; I nodded quickly.

"Wonderful idea" said I, he nodded.

"So it shall be; tonight, perhaps?" He asked; I nodded again and he hugged me tight. "I'll schedule it for eight o'clock, I'll send someone for you at seven fifty tonight. Now, I must go, a vessel cannot navigate itself." He said, unraveling his hands from my waist and retrieving his journal, I turned to get my tea cup and instead was smacked on the behind.

I jumped and gasped only to turn to see a flash of his trench coat as he left. A few moments after he left I stopped what I was doing, our conversation had just fully processed.

He asked me to a date, and I said yes...

We were...we were _courting_!


	12. Date Night

_Chapter Twelve: Date Night_

~~ My heart thumped quickly as it neared seven forty; I had dressed in the dress the women from the island gave to me, it was the only dress I had since all of my belongings sunk with the ship originally carried me. I curled my hair and stood before the full length mirror in the Captain's bedroom, fiddling with my dress, I was so nervous; what if he didn't like the way I looked? What if I said something awkward? My cheeks pinkened at the thought and there came a knock at the door; the cabin boy entered. "Miss, the Captain awaits your presence" said he; I turned quickly and felt worry spread all over me.

"Oh, please, come in, come in, please" said I and the cabin boy did just that.

"Yes, ma'am?" Asked he walking closer to me, I sighed and played with the frillies on the large, pink dress; the dress made me look like a princess, but, as I was told, a sexy princess. Black bows and gathers ran around the dress along with sparkles; I thought the dress was gorgeous.

"D-Do you suppose he'll...he'll like this? The way I look, I mean. I want to...I want to look perfect." Said I, clasping and unclasping my hands; the cabin boy smiled and took up my hands.

"Here's something you need to remember: he's seen you when you think you're at your absolute worst, and he's told me that you're the most perfect woman in all of the universes. He thinks you're perfect all the time, Miss, so don't worry; besides, you look beautiful." The cabin boy said; I smiled and hugged him tightly; thanking him many times. He held my hand as he pulled me out of the Captain's bedroom and stopped on the stairs with me where I saw the Captain wearing a black suit before a small table covered with white tablecloth, two seats and lanterns hanging from ropes all around. I paused and my mouth fell open; it was so beautiful!

The sun had sunken behind the ocean and the moon sat high in the sky; the Captain shed his black hat to reveal slicked back, jet black hair, his hands were folded behind his back and his mouth too, fell open at seeing me. I began walking down the stairs to him and he rushed up a few stairs; grasping my hand and helping me down to the deck and to a chair. "You look absolutely stunning" he said, pushing my chair in and rushing to his chair, smiling as he stared at me. "H-How do you like it?" he asked, motioning to the world around him, I smiled dreamily.

"You're the most handsome man I-I mean, it's wonderful, truly wonderful" I said quickly; he smiled to me and my cheeks heated, shyly averting my gaze from him. He gave a seductive smile and lifted my right hand off of the table, kissing the top.

"The food should arrive in a little, for now, tell me about yourself" said he, leaning forwards and taking a sip of pre-poured wine in his wine glass. His eyes were so soft, and yet, so...intoxicating; I bit my bottom lip and sighed, glancing up at him every so often.

"Well, there's not much _to_ tell. I lived in London my entire life, I had a few friends, but, I mainly spent my time in our library. We had thousands upon millions of books of all colours and sizes, it was amazing! It would take you four lifetimes to read them all." I explained; he nodded and smiled, listening intently. "Now that I think of it" I said, pausing. "I didn't have a very colourful life at all" I explained; he smiled and took another gulp of his wine.

"At any rate, I would enjoy seeing that library you spoke of" said he; I instantly perked up.

"Oh, of course! You _must_ see it! They even put a fainting couch in there because I ended up falling asleep in there so much" I said, giggling. I calmed and smiled to him.

"So, tell me what you like to do, favorite colours, things of that sort." Said he, I pursed my lips in thought.

"Obviously, I like to read, I find writing relaxing, sleep is wonderful, but, I enjoy cuddling too" I answered with a wink; he grinned.

"Duly noted" said he as the chef brought out dinner and placed a bottle of wine on the table; we thanked him and turned to dinner. It was a strange soup that looked inedible, but, the Captain began eating it quickly; he paused at my disgusted expression. "What's wrong? Is it cold?" He asked; I smiled and shook my head.

"No, no, just...what is it?" I asked, dipping my spoon in and revealing a fish head.

"Well, sweet cheeks, that's the bad thing about not getting food supplies in a while; we have to make due. It's a soup...surprise as the chef calls it; at first I wouldn't hear of you eating it, but, it was either this or coffee beans." He explained; he glanced up to see me staring at the fish head. "What?" He asked.

"I think it moved" said I; he chuckled and switched out our bowls. "Oh, you need not do that!" I cried, he smiled.

"It's fine, I was planning on eating something else tonight anyways" he said, glancing up to me, his eyes filled to the brim with fervor. My cheeks blushed crimson under his gaze and I found myself biting my lip with a slight smile; I was smiling!

"Oh? And what is that?" I asked, challenging him, I wanted to see if he would say what he implied. He grinned and wiped his fingers on a napkin.

"You" he replied softly; I paused and pretended to be dumbfounded.

"You're retorting to cannibalism? I didn't think the food on the ship was_ that_ bad!" Said I, he laughed heartily and sighed.

"No, no, my dear. Not like that; you understand my meaning, don't think that I'm not watching you." Said he with a smile, sipping on his wine. I smiled and ate a few spoonful's of the soup; it was watery and devoid of taste, but, it would keep me from starving. We spoke a while longer, but the conversations he continuously aimed at me, he kept the limelight off of himself.

"I have a question" I said after he made some other perverted remark. "You say all of these things about...ya know...intercourse but have you actually ever taken anyone?" I asked and he smiled.

"No...I haven't" he replied and we both fell silent. "Truthfully" he began again, pausing and biting his own lips. "I was uh...I was hoping you would be my first" he said, slamming his wine glass between his lips and keeping his gaze upon his hands. I smiled and my cheeks burnt a deeper vermillion than they were before; I pushed my hair behind my ear and my smile grew.

"I would...I would be...hon...honored" I said softly, his eyes shot open and he placed the wine glass down slowly; staring at me in disbelief. I turned and took a sip of wine. "Wow, this is good wine" I said, now, a smile returned to his lips and it grew quite big; until it touched both of his ears, I would say! He smiled like this for a little while longer until he glanced up to me and pushed out his chair; gaining my attention again. He pushed in his chair and brought together his tuxedo coat, clearing his throat and extending his hand to me.

"Would you care for a dance?" He asked, I smiled and took up his hand, he led me to the middle of the deck and nodded to a man I hadn't seen on the deck before! The man carried a violin! The man nodded back to the Captain and began playing a low, slow song; the Captain took up my hands and wrapped them around his neck whilst his own hands rested on my waist, we swayed gently from side to side.

"So...uh...w-what would you like me to call you? I feel 'The Captain' is getting a bit old" said I with a smile; he paused in thought and shrugged.

"Whatever you would like to call me; Captain, your highness...big daddy" he said with a wink; I rolled my eyes.

"What's your _real_ name?"

"That, sweet cheeks, you will never know" said he, unexpectedly twirling me and dipping me down; my hair touched the deck! I smiled and giggled, I was _so_ giddy! We danced a while more and spoke mainly about me and my life, he clutched tightly to his information and wouldn't let go unless I coaxed him to for around half an hour. As we sat back at our table a crew member came up to him and tapped his shoulder.

"Cap'n, it's one." The crew member said; the Captain nodded and waved him away, turning his attention back to me. I yawned, my eyes had begun to dully sting, and my eyelids dropped; I was getting sleepy. The Captain smiled and walked around the table, to me, and lifted me out of the chair, carrying me to his bedroom and laying me down in his bed.

"Oh, no, you sleep in your own bed, I can sleep in mine tonight" said I; he smiled.

"No, no, I like the couch, besides, you sleep talk" he answered, flopping down upon the couch with a devious grin; the air was ripped from my lungs.

"I sleep talk? About what?" I asked quickly, holding the cotton covers tight in my grasp.

"Oh, nothing really, just...what your heart wants, I guess" said he, laying down upon the couch, a smile still sketched upon his lips. I didn't lay down for a long time, and when I did, I didn't go right to sleep, I kept wondering about what I talked about in my sleep!


	13. Oh, Dear!

_Chapter Thirteen: Oh, Dear!_

~~ I woke with a splitting headache and a sense of grogginess, as I came to I realized an arm laid over my chest. My eyes shot open ever wider and I glanced down to see a pale green arm laid across my body, fingers laying limply beside me. Slowly, gently, I turned my head to the right; knowing who I would face when I did so. And, I was correct. The Captain laid beside me, his face buried in a pillow, and yet his arms were sprawled out beside him; he was without a shirt, but he wore black trousers.

His back rose and fell softly with his tranquil breathing; he was still asleep. I hurriedly looked down to myself and saw that I was out of the dress that the women gave to me and in a nightgown; a purple, frilly nightgown with a sweetheart neckline. I relaxed again and sighed, turning my head to the left, attempting to not move the rest of my body so as to not wake him. I spotted a few empty rum bottles scattered about the left side of the room and realized, I couldn't remember what happened when I laid down in his bed! He groaned and turned towards me, on his side, and nestled his face between my shoulder and the bed; curling his fingers around my arm and holding me close to him, he sighed and groaned again, laying his leg over mine.

I sighed and smiled, he was warm.

The boat swayed slightly, however, for the most part the boat glided and I began to feel drowsiness overcome me again. Within moments, however, the Captain sighed again and woke me from my zoning state; his eyes opened slowly and he stared at me for a moment, his eyes glazed over, the evidence of a restful night. He pushed his upper body above me with his left arm, hesitantly unraveling his right arm from me and yawning. He smiled down to me with eyelids that drooped and hair that was flattened to one side. "You said you like cuddling, didn't you?"

Asked he with a smile, turning and sitting on his behind; I smiled and stretched. "What happened last night?" I asked, continuing my stretch and looking to him; he only ran his fingers through his hair, scratching his head, and smiled deviously. "What?" I asked, sitting up, upon my elbows, he shook his head and stood from the bed, taking up his cotton shirt which laid upon the floor; he turned upon his heel and grasped the footboard, smiling at me, winking and walking out of the room.

"Wait...what?" I asked, to myself as the door was shut; I jumped out of the bed and ran after him, throwing the door open and running out, yelling after him. "Stop that!" I cried; he paused and turned, still holding his shirt.

"Stop what?" He asked, turning fully towards me.

"Not answering my questions verbally; I don't understand whatever you just did. I'm not good at interpreting body language!" I said, stamping my foot accidently; he raised his eyebrow and gave a half smile, crossing his arms and leaning on the wood wall of the boat.

"You think just because you get a little hissy fit I'm going to tell you?" He asked, still smiling, I sighed.

"No, I...I just, I'm so tired of not knowing; especially when it deals with something important" I answered; he nodded.

"Understandable" he remarked, twirling his shirt around his fingers.

"So, what happened last night? What were all those rum bottles doing in the room? They weren't there before I laid down" I answered, feeling my headache thunder back, it had faded away for a few moments. I grimaced and the Captain took a step towards me, concern tinging his features.

"What's wrong?" He asked quickly; I shook my head and waved the question away.

"Just a headache, now, if you please, my questions?" I asked, my left hand holding my temple. He sighed.

"We got drunk, we became friendly...maybe a little more than we should've, and we fell asleep." He explained, there was a hiss in his voice; we were quiet for a moment, in fact, the world around us was silent as well! The crew hadn't been roused and the night watchman had fallen asleep, the seagulls were still in their nests and the water was completely calm; the wind was nothing but a whisper and the sun was rising just above the waterline.

"H-How 'friendly' did we get?" I asked, becoming quiet. He sighed and nodded, sucking on his gums he walked past me and back into his bedroom, I peeked inside to see him retrieve his suit from the built-in closet; on the suit ran a long tare. He threw that down on his bed and unwravled his shirt, showing me a rip at the neckline of his shirt; my hand touched my lips in surprise and he scoffed.

"Of course, I'm not that innocent either" he said, rummaging through his closet to reveal the dress the women had given me, it was torn completely open! "However" he started again "I promise you, we did nothing more than that." He assured, I fell against the doorframe, how could I not remember something like that?

"How drunk was I?" I asked a loud; the Captain chuckled.

"You're a lightweight, your cheeks flushed at the end of your first bottle. You started getting frisky at your second; in total, you drank two and a half bottles of rum." He finished; I nodded slowly and sighed.

"You swear that's...that's all we did?" I asked with a stutter, he nodded slowly and I mentally thanked god that's all that happened! "O-Okay, I...uh...thank you" I said, he nodded and without a word, passed me and walked back out on deck, putting on his ripped shirt and rousing the crew.

~~ We didn't speak to each other that day, I didn't know why but it felt so awkward around him now, I didn't know what to say, mostly because I couldn't remember anything! So, I sat in my room and drew, (between you and I the drawings were mostly pictures of him from my memory); to be completely frank he was quite...desirous. I smiled at a picture of him I finished, it actually looked quite realistic; I added all the details I remembered. All of a sudden the door opened, I gasped and slammed the book I had been drawing in, shut; I was afraid it was the Captain! But, alas, it wasn't.

I didn't know who it was, it was a man with short, brown hair; he was shorter than the Captain, but taller than I and his back was turned to me. He turned slowly and I found I recognized his face! "Raoul?!" I asked, baffled; I sat up and he sighed, his index finger rushing to his lips. He ran forwards and threw his hand over my mouth, breathing quietly.

"I snuck on, just a few moments ago, there's a dingy trailing the ship, come on, Anna, let's go." He whispered reaching out his hand; I bit my lip and tapped my book. "What are you waiting for? They might be discovered any second! Come on!" He whispered, urgently; I sighed and shook my head.

"I...I don't want to go, Raoul. The Captain's actually very...sweet; I'm perfectly fine here, thank you." I explained and Raoul stood before me, dumbfounded. After a few moments of silence he finally spoke.

"Have you gone utterly mental? He's a pirate! He kills people!" Raoul hissed in a whisper, throwing his arms around in exasperation.

"So do you, but I have no personal bias's against you, now do I?" I asked in a normal tone.

"That's different" Raoul growled, no longer speaking in a whisper.

"Oh? Just because you get an order from the king makes killing man different? The way I see it, the logical way, taking a life is taking a life; killing a man, or woman, deserves the same amount of punishment no matter your station or title. It's murder all the same." I growled; Raoul became impatient.

"Come now, Anna, we'll have a better life! We can even live in London!" Raoul attempted to persuade; I shook my head.

"No, no, thank you for the offer, really, thank you; but, no, I want to stay here." I said, smiling; Raoul shook his head once more and dug something out of his pocket, it was a small piece of paper. It ran thus:

_'We, Elizabeth and Will Turner, give Raoul de Chagny full marriage rights to our daughter, Anna Turner, who is old enough, and quite ready for, marriage. This includes: intercourse (both social and sexual), to have full authority over and of her, to bare or not to bare children, to love for an eternity and generally doing what as he pleases with the Viscountess. If she is not capable of birthing, the client, Raoul de Chagny, agrees to adopting a single male child to be the heir to his name. _

_This certificate is to be signed by both parents so as to be sure the signing over of their daughter is true to their wishes and fancies. Anna Turner may not agree to this arrangement but it is both God's and her parent's will, as well as the will of Monsieur Raoul de Chagny; once this agreement is signed by all three participants, as well as a witness, the certificate is active as of that moment. Raoul de Chagny may take wherever he so pleases and wed the young Viscountess, with the blessing of both parents. This document is to be read thrice, once to the parents and suitor, once to the young woman, and once at the wedding after vows are exchanged before God.' _

Below this were four signatures, my mother's, my father's, Monsieur Raoul's, and the witness named Reverend Daniel. My heart snapped in half like an overly-baked cookie, this document, this flimsy piece of paper stole all of my freedoms, every single one of them! It basically said I had to do everything Raoul wanted me to do and I had no say in it; how could women agree to this and not retaliate? "You must be a sick, sick man to think I would agree to a document with such ridiculous circumstances" I hissed; Raoul nodded.

"Morally, you need not agree, you have no choice but to. This document is both checked with London and Port Royal governmental officials; I even had the King glance over it and give his seal of approval to it. Don't worry if you want to rip it, I have a few other copies." Raoul explained; I shook my head and licked my lips, readying my vocal chords, and, I screamed.

Within seconds my door was flung open and the Captain was in the room, crew members huffing and puffing after him. The Captain yanked me from my bed, disrupting my blanket and causing my book to fly to the ground, one of the drawings of the Captain open. During this confusion, Raoul picked up the book before the Captain could place a rapier to his neck; Raoul chuckled between the book and rapier, I held the marriage document. The Captain's eyes were aflame as he stared down Raoul, the Captain remained quiet as one of his crewman questioned Raoul as to what was in the book; Raoul only placed the book face up on the ground, the Captain's rapier never wavering, and slid it towards us. The Captain took up the book, the rapier in the other hand; my heart was beating faster than a jack rabbit's foot can thump!

The Captain gave a slight smile, but showed nothing more, closing the book and giving it back to me. He and his crewmen escorted Raoul and Raoul's men onto the deck. "You have seen my mercy as I have seen yours. This is your second and last chance with my mercy, Privateer, do not take this lightly." The Captain hissed, and, the Captain's crewmen raised their swords high, chopping off all of Raoul's crewmen's heads; Raoul, alone was spared.

The Captain snatched the document from my hands and crumpled it up, he gave it to one of his crewmen, who stuffed it down Raoul's throat. I looked away from the scene, I'm not one for blood, in fact, one of my friends was severely injured and I passed out at seeing her wound! Next, they threw Raoul off of the boat with his hands bound behind his back with strong rope; the Captain sighed and I uncovered my eyes.

The Captain was grinning at me.

"What?" I asked, he still smiled.

"Tomorrow we're going to arrive to another port, we'll stock up on food...and..." he trailed off. "What do you like to do in your spare time?" He asked, leaning on a barrel of something. I shrugged.

"Sleeping, reading, drawing, things like that" I explained; he nodded and smiled to me again. "What?" I asked again, a small smile on my face; he strolled closer to me, his hands in his trouser pockets.

"Next time you want me to take my clothes off, just say so; I promise you I'll have no quarrel with it" he said with a wink; I rolled my eyes and pushed him gently away, but, he didn't budge. "Oh, and let's not forget" he began again "you called for me when you have a pistol down your trousers" he finished with a smile. I paused and glanced down to see that I had changed and I indeed wore my belt complete with both a gun and a rapier!

"O-Oh" I said, he grinned; I paused. "I didn't call for you, I just screamed" I said; he smiled.

"But, you knew I would come, which, I'll make you do more than _just come_ in a few hours" he said, gliding, it seemed, behind me and whispering in my ear. My cheeks flushed and my fingers froze where they laid; a strange ball of warmth manifested in the pit of my stomach and I cleared my throat. But, he only sat his chin on my shoulder and blew into my ear; I giggled and pulled away, causing him to chuckle as well. Then, I swore hell froze over in that moment, the man from the crows nest screamed down that we were being followed; but, the look of terror was perfectly plastered over his features. He was yelling something and it took the Captain and I a while to make it out; the crewman was screaming 'Blackbeard'.


	14. First Time for Everything

_Chapter Fourteen: First Time for Everything_

~~ The Captain's eyes grew and he seized my arms with alarming strength, he threw open his quarters and pushed me inside; slamming the door behind him. He grasped my arms and held me close to him, lowering his face to mine. "Do not, and I repeat, do not leave this room until I come and personally get you, okay?" He asked, my brows furrowed.

"Why?" I asked and he allowed my arms to be free again.

"Blackbeard's not very well to be around when women are in presence; he'll attempt to marry you." The Captain said with a small smile and a chuckle; I pursed my lips in confusion. "Never mind" he said at seeing my reaction. "Just...do as I say" said he, turning and walking out; locking the door afterwards. I hurried forwards and pressed my ear against the door, I heard the crewmen yelling at each other and then, within moments, everything was silent. Next, I heard a booming voice rise over the water; it was deep and obviously male, it yelled a name.

"Erik! Haven't seen you in ages!" The voice cried, laughing after that; there was a thump which sounded like wood on wood and footsteps, not the respect demanding one's that belonged to the Captain, but, these sounded, in a way, regal.

"Erik?" I whispered, next I heard the Captain's voice ring out.

"Edward, quite right, it's been more than a while" said the Captain, now, they came closer to the Captain's Quarters; I had the right mind to run into the WC, but, I also wanted to listen in. My curiosity won.

"Come, Erik, let's talk in your Quarters" Blackbeard said; the Captain gave a nervous chuckle.

"I don't know if that's the best spot, its in a state of disrepair."

"Disrepair? Ha! You, disrepair? That's a good one!" Blackbeard laughed, his chortle resembled thunder rumbles.

Now, I jumped away from the door and ran, on my tippy toes, to the Captain's closet, closing the door oh-so gently and sinking down so my knees touched my chin; hiding behind his clothes. Moments later the door opened and the Captain gave a sigh of relief, this went unrealized by Blackbeard; the door closed and the bed creaked, they began talking of a few women, one named Marry, another named Jenny, and a third named Sue. The bed creaked again and Blackbeard sighed, then, he paused mid sentence and started sniffing; the room went silent. "That's odd" he said.

"What?" The Captain asked, I heard a kettle whistle and the clink off glass on stone; he was making tea.

"I smell...perfume...woman's perfume." Blackbeard said, my eyes grew large and I bit my lip; I had forgotten about my perfume bottle! (I bought perfume when we ported, it smelled of flowers, I wore it on the night of the Captain and my courting.) I had sprayed myself with it this morning, and, since I was spending so much time in here...I left it on the Captain's desk. It was a pink bottle with golden and powder blue designs, something very clearly feminine.

"I smell nothing of the sort" the Captain commented quickly, coming closer to the closet door; Blackbeard grinned.

"_Sure you don't_, now, do tell, who's the little lady and where is she?" Blackbeard asked; I didn't know why the Captain wanted me to hide from this man, he sounded quite friendly! He was a good friend of the Captain's anyways!

"No one" the Captain growled, stepping away from the door and flopping into his desk chair.

"Oh, come now, I know she's here; what's she like? What's her name? Has she a titl-"

"_Enough_" the Captain growled, his tone so serious it could silence a hurricane. However, Blackbeard continued asking about me, he continued until the Captain broke!

"Her name is Anna Turner, she is a Viscountess from London and...damn, Anna, come out now!" The Captain yelled; I paused for a moment but soon stood, gently opening the closet door and peeking my head out. The Captain stood before his bed, arms crossed and a sour expression upon his face whilst Blackbeard sat upon the Captain's bed, a smile spread across his face. I stepped out of the closet and closed the door behind me, a little nervous of meeting someone new.

"Well, well, well! Now I know why you wanted to hide her away!" Blackbeard said with a laugh, I smiled and he rose from the bed, kissing the top of my hand. Blackbeard was tall and true to his nickname! He did, indeed, carry a long, black beard; he braided the bottom ends of it too.

His eyes were large, hazel circles and his skin was golden from so many years at sea; he had a gut to him, one from alcoholic beverages, no doubt. Spirits hung thickly from his breath and he slowly returned to his feet; nodding as he looked me over. He turned to the Captain and grinned. "How in the living hell did_ you_ manage to woo a woman like this?" Blackbeard asked, I laughed and the Captain smiled.

"I kidnaped her and killed her parents" The Captain said, returning to his desk chair; Blackbeard laughed.

"No, really, how?" He asked, I sighed.

"He's telling the truth" I chimed in. Blackbeard smiled as he shook his head and slapped his knees, standing.

"Well, little missy, could you give us a moment?" Blackbeard asked, I nodded and left the room, as soon as I shut the door I began getting catcalled from men on the 'Queen Anne's Revenge' which was Blackbeard's vessel. I rolled my eyes and hurried into my room, I didn't like being around men who were disgusting, such as they; I sat down upon my bed and thought on it, not once had the Captain catcalled me! Sure he makes perverted remarks four times a day and hangs on me like cloak, but, I found it significant that he wouldn't squash me to a respect level below him by treating me like an animal you can whistle at or throw food to in order to see a trick of some sort. In a way, he was a gentleman.

He even dressed in a suit for our courting!

~~ A little while turned into hours, finally, I came out of my room and was instantly catcalled again; I sighed and pulled out my gun, cocking it and glaring at the opposing crew. There were several yells of "oooh" and "Kitty's got claws!" I rolled my eyes and attempted to continue walking but the men started up again! This time, one man fashioned a lasso out of rope and threw it over, missing me numerous times, but, he caught me once. When this happened I was yanked from a standing position to a sitting one and you can bet I reacted!

I had never shot a gun before, but I wouldn't let these mongrels do what they fancied with me! So, I shot the main one who was pulling me and had originally made the lasso; I did as the Captain taught me, cock it, aim for their chest or head, and fire. When the man fell to the deck, both decks hushed and the Captain's Quarter's door was thrown open; The Captain was not pleased, to say the least. "What the hell is-?!" The Captain yelled before spying me and rushing down; helping me out of the lasso.

"What the hell is going on?" Blackbeard boomed and I felt my veins ice over; The Captain saw the gun shaking in my hand and he gently took it out of my hand.

"What happened?" He asked me in a whisper, his eyes were soft and so were his hands; though, I trembled at the realization that I had just murdered someone.

"I..." I began and all eyes turned to me. "They were...they were catcalling me and I got annoyed...but, I just blew them off and then...then they threw that at me and they were gonna pull me over to the other ship and...I got scared and I..." I said, biting my lip and glancing down to the gun; tears gathered in my eyes and I gave my best attempts at blinking them away.

"...You shot him" the Captain said, I sniffled and nodded; I glanced up, waiting to see anger upon his face, but, I was surprised! He was smiling! The Captain pulled me into his arms and ran his fingers through my hair. "Where'd she hit him?" He yelled over to the 'Queen Anne's Revenge' crew.

"Smack dab in the middle of the forehead, Cap'n." the crew member said; the Captain now wore the expression of impression.

"Not bad for your first time" said he, hugging me tight. "It's alright, Anna, you're a pirate now, a_ real_ pirate. Also, you had the right to shoot him" the Captain finished, I smiled and laid against his chest, closing my eyes. Blackbeard's voice caused my eyes to spring open again.

"Didn't like that bastard anyways" said he, the Captain smiled and I laughed.

~~ A few hours later, we ported and I laid in my bedroom, dozing on the bed. My door opened and the Captain stood in the threshold, a lighted cigarette between his fingers. "Ready to go?" He asked.

I groaned. "Go where?"

"Places" he replied, I sat up whilst yawning; the clock read ten; why was I so tired? He walked in and helped me up from the bed, nodding to me and walking out with me, hand in hand. He led me down the dock and to a quaint shopping plaza; it held two bars, a bookstore, a bakery, a custom dress shoppe, and a few restaurants. The Captain took me straight to a restaurant named, well, I don't know what it was named! It was a foreign language, Spanish maybe.

Inside we went, and we ordered our food and drinks; whilst we were waiting I decided to ask him a few questions. "So, are you and Blackbeard...friends?" I asked, he smiled.

"Edward and I are acquaintances, we were rivals for the longest time, until one day we found it childish and joined forces. His fleet and my fleet." Said he, I paused.

"Fleet?" I asked, he grinned.

"You only thought I had the 'Black Pearl' under my command? Heh, no, sweet cheeks. Let's see, Jocard just captured another two so I have...eh...around one hundred twenty something ships at my command. The 'Black Pearl' is just my flagship; my 'home' ship, if you will." He explained, taking a gulp of the rum he ordered. I, on the other hand, drank wine (the water was not safe to drink here, the Captain warned me of it).

"How many does Blackbeard have at his command?" I asked; the Captain sighed and spent a few moments thinking.

"Last he told me, he had around eighty four, but, as with my fleet, his grows every day." Said he, I nodded.

"Is Blackbeard going to travel with us?" I asked, sipping the wine.

"Yes, but, when we hit Europe he's going to break off and possibly travel to the states; he was saying something about Charles Town, South Carolina, earlier today...it was something about medicine." The Captain said, now, our food arrived; The Captain was eating some type of pork and I munched on a chicken, cheese and lettuce sandwich. I paused my eating and sighed, I needed to be brave, I needed to be brave.

"So, uh, when we...ya know, get to London...I was wondering if you...would like to-"

"Yes" said he, breaking me off mid-sentence; my cheeks were flushing and I looked up to him from my plate.

"What?"

"Yes, whatever you want, yes." Said he, I smiled and nodded whilst my cheeks burnt bright red. I was going to ask him if he wanted to stay with me when we got to London. I couldn't stop smiling the entirety of the meal.


	15. Lovers

_Chapter Fifteen: Lovers_

~~ When we were leaving the restaurant I smiled to him and hesitantly grasped his pinkie with my own; smiling to him as he turned to me. "That's not any way to hold hands, sweet cheeks" said he, giving me a frank look.

"Well, why don't you show me how?" I asked, I actually came up with a come back! His left eyebrow raised and he grinned.

"First of all, you smile to the person you want to hold hands with" said he, smiling to me; I giggled and he continued. "Then, you get closer to the person" said he, leaning down and closer to me, my cheeks burnt crimson and I bit my bottom lip; shyly glancing from him to the ground and back at him. He turned his head a little to the right and a smile was sketched upon his lips. "You get ever closer and you take up their hands" he whispered, so close to me I felt his breath on my cheek; I closed my eyes and allowed a small smile to cross my face, he slipped my hands into his and he leaned ever closer, to my ear. "Then, you touch their lips" he continued, gradually moving his lips a mere millimeter from my own.

He leaned his forehead upon my own and sighed, I opened my eyes to see his eyes were closed and his teeth were dug so deeply into his lips blood began to drain from it; his eyes were clenched shut and his left hand broke away from mine to gently caress my cheek. He opened his mouth and came forwards a bit, but his lips trembled and he pulled them shut again, backing away from me. He pursed his lips and moved his head up a bit, kissing the tip of my nose. I smiled and he opened his eyes. "Those aren't my lips" I said quietly, he smiled.

"I know, I'll deal with them later" said he with a wink, standing back to his normal height and grasping my hand, taking me around the little plaza. He led me into the small bakery and let me free to pick whatever I wanted! He sat at a table and watched as I stood on my tippy toes to see what were in the display cases; I turned to ask him what he wanted to see his index finger and thumb upon his chin and a strange smile upon his face.

"Do you want anything?" I asked over the loud commotion about the room.

"Surprise me" said he, his eyelids drooped, but he didn't appear tired. I nodded and turned back, standing on my tippy toes again; I had moved from one side of the bakery to the other, and had my eye on a cake, a very large, double chocolate cake with chocolate icing and, inside were included chocolate chips! I more than likely drooled as I stared at it. Moments later, sadly the man removed the cake from the display case; someone had bought it. I sighed in disappointment and looked on for something new, however, I felt a hand slip into my own and turned to see the Captain holding a rather large box.

"Come, sweet cheeks, we've got to go" said he, I nodded but stared at the box, suspecting something.

"So, uh, what's in the box?" I asked as we walked back to the 'Black Pearl'.

"You'll soon find out" said he with another wink.

~~ Everything on the boat was silent, for, the crew was either ashore, at a bar, or lying in their hammock, asleep. The Captain led me up to my room, and, when he opened the door, I was stupefied. The entire room was different! There was actual furniture! There was a red, velvet fainting couch near a black table near two, red, velvet wingback chairs and it all sat upon a red and black silken carpet!

My bed was now one that a Queen would sleep in! The wood was a red tinted oak and the mattress was filled with feathers! A large, black quilt laid atop the bed and a red, polka dotted throw laid over that; a black lace was draped all around the bed. I walked forwards a bit and turned to see portraits of me, portraits that I didn't remember getting done, standing proudly on the wall in golden frames; large, golden candelabras stood in every corner of the room, lighting it. There was a small, tea making station next to a bookshelf that was filled to the brim with books (The book shelf had oaken doors to protect the books from falling out, all of the furniture was nailed down so that nothing would fall or break if the boat rolled)!

I stepped forwards and touched the bed. "This is" I whispered, slowly turning back to the Captain who leaned on the doorframe, a grin on his face. "This is more than wonderful...this is..." I said, he smiled and I sighed, I ran to him and jumped, throwing my arms around his neck and basically tackling him. He dropped the box and I became daring; I attached my lips to his! I closed my eyes and laid my right hand on his cheek, allowing it to escape from his face and into his hair (his hat fell off).

He was incredibly stiff, now, I realize I'm not the best kisser in the books, but he was so extremely hesitant at doing anything! His hands laid upon my lower back and his mouth didn't move a bit in the beginning! After a few moments of stiff awkwardness I let his lips free and felt my cheeks pinking. "Are they taken care of now?" I asked, smiling; he blinked as he stared at me, he was still in shock.

"Uh.." he began gulping and laying his head back, upon the deck. "Is uh...is what taken care of?" He asked, licking his lips, I smiled and wiggled closer to him, he was incredibly tall and I was incredibly hobbit sized.

"My lips, silly! You said you would take care of them later; are they taken care of?" I asked, he slowly sat up, causing me to retreat, I was forced to sit on his legs; the expression of confusion still was clearly defined in his features.

"I'm sorry...what?" He asked, I laughed and patted his chest, standing and helping him up.

"Perhaps I'll remind you tomorrow when you're not so scatterbrained" said I, enjoying his confusion at my sudden, surprise attack affection. He nodded and lifted up the box, he smiled and placed it in my arms, hesitantly leaning forwards and planting a kiss on my forehead; turning upon his heel and hurrying away, to his quarters. I stood there, grinning like an idiot for a while, until I opened the lid of the box to find the double chocolate cake with chocolate icing and chocolate chips from the bakery. I smiled and closed the door, walking to my new bed and pushing the fabric over me, sitting down upon the mattress and dipping my finger in the icing; sticking it in my mouth afterwards and giggling in joy. He was so kind hearted, when he wanted to be, that is.

~~ The very next day I saw the opposite side of the Captain.

Our food, rum and gunpowder had been replenished and we pulled away from port; I had just walked to me closet and I opened it to find, on one end, gorgeous dresses of all colours and perfect jewelry to match! Yet, on the other side were cotton shirts, leather vests and trousers. I smiled, he had to be one of the most thoughtful men I had ever encountered. I dressed in the cotton shirt, vest, and trousers and walked out on the deck to find that already, we were out to sea; we were moving quite quickly, this was due to the wind's fierce might that day. As we hit open sea we encountered few other ships, one being a fellow pirate ship; the Captain stood proudly at the helm, next to the wheel, looking out to sea.

As the other pirate ship approached I spotted something strange, they were readying their cannons! I turned and ran up the stairs to the Captain as fast as I could, but, I didn't make it there in time before the first cannon pierced the water around us. "What in the devil was that?" A crew member shouted.

"Cannon fire!" I yelled. "It was cannon fire!" I repeated; the Captain ordered everyone to their stations. He turned to me and sighed.

"You go in my quarters and stay there until the battle is over" he ordered.

"But-"

"No, I will _not_ see you hurt" he hissed; grasping my arms with the gentle tightness I always associated with lovers. I sighed and nodded; he sighed and kissed my cheek quickly. "Now, hop along, quickly!" He yelled as I went down the stairs, sadly, I didn't go down fast enough. The pirate boat was close, too close, and I was far too slow; it was a sword, a sword flew through the air, it was coming straight for me but I didn't see it.

"Anna!" The Captain screamed, I turned around in just enough time for the sword to bury itself in my stomach as I fell to the deck.


	16. Uh Oh

_Chapter Sixteen: Uh Oh_

~~ I gasped and clutched at the sword as the fight raged on around me; it felt like, it felt like I was being drained. Not at first, of course, at first there was unexplainably exhausting, searing pain which caused me to shriek in agony and tears to drip down my cheeks in torrents. I whimpered as I clutched at the sword, moments later, when the pain began to dull and I felt every drop of blood that went rushing out of me, I saw a man with a sword stuck straight through him. The sword was yanked out and the man fell to the ground with glazed over eyes; the Captain hurriedly stepped over him and turned my face to him, hitting my cheek softly. His hands were so cold, but so velvety soft; he was asking me questions, such as what my name was, who he was, what boat I was on.

I wanted to talk, and yet, I couldn't; I only smiled to him as he lifted me off of the deck and ran, a good grip on the sword so it wouldn't plunge further into my body. As he ran away with me my head hung down from his arm and I opened my eyes slowly to find Raoul in pirate wear, fighting our crew. He beheaded someone and glanced up, his eyes locking on mine and he mouthed my name. I closed my eyes and trusted myself in the Captain's presence, hell, he couldn't even kiss me without my permission! What need I worry of?

~~ I woke with yet another skull splitting headache and vision that was more than incredibly blurry. I groaned and instantly heard a joyous voice yell: "she's coming to, she's coming to!" In the next few moments there were loud footsteps and heavy breathing, I blinked and stretched out my eyelids, reaching my arm up and hesitantly rubbing my eyes; chasing the blurriness away. The Captain was only inches away from me; he sighed in relief when I smiled to him; he allowed his head to fall to my bosom and he whispered the words 'thank god' repeatedly. He wrapped his arms around me and kissed my neck, whispering nonsensical words as I woke.

"Oh, god, I was so afraid" he said louder, so the physician and I could hear him. "We hadn't even had sex yet" he finished and I paused.

"So, I was dying...and all you were worried about is your genitals not getting attention?" I hissed to the best of my ability; worry spread over his face.

"No, no, not like that, sweet cheeks. You write me off as insensitive, which I am indeed not; darling, sexual intercourse is much more than a moment's satisfaction, at least, to me. It signifies the strongest bond of love between two people who become inseparable for the rest of their lives, in a night's passion; it signifies how a partner will care for the other and support the other one. A bond, Anna, as I mentioned before, is made" he explained, gently touching my cheek and twirling a strand of my hair. "A bond of not only love, but trust, passion...and did I mention the infinite amount of trust one must thrust into a person to even consider them to be a potential sexual partner?

You must worry about so many inevitables, one of which, the most worried of which, is pregnancy." He paused and bit his bottom lip. "Sweet cheeks" he began again "I know you assume what pirates are; mean, nasty men and occasionally a few brave women, who are bloodthirsty monsters who will get what they want and leave. However, I'm going to make that stereotype of yours crash and burn." He said, his voice shook from the amount of emotion he poured into his words; he sighed and began again.

"I won't ever leave you, pregnant or not, virgin or not, young or not, wedded or not, I will never leave your side." He finished, getting close to me; my eyes glassed over with tears and I wrapped my arms around his neck, holding him close to me and sniffling, batting away the tears. And, in that moment all of his emotions laid outside of him, spilt out all over me and the floor; I hoped he knew I felt the same, I just, I couldn't figure out how to shape my feelings into such beautiful structures of words such as he did only mere seconds beforehand. I wept into his shoulder, unable to show emotion any other way, and occasionally kissed his cheek; no one had said anything that sweet to me before, I had only been catcalled and obnoxiously flirted with. It's sad that I became so used to those things that they no longer bothered me, but this, this genuine show of affection, to a point, confused me and broke me down in tears (of course they were tears for the right reasons).

I had, actually, once been called horrible names by a gaggle of girls as I was out shopping; the reason? I, apparently, wasn't showing enough skin to be accepted by society, I was appalled! Of course, I was bothered! Those people called me things I knew not (and still know not) the definitions of! And, I told the Captain of this, I told him of these experiences and how he wasn't like anyone else, how much more he was; how much better he was.

I'm altogether sure he couldn't make out a word I said, for, I blathered it out as fast as my lips could move! "T-To say" I paused before ending, was I really ready to say this? "To say that I love you is an understatement" I finished, biting my lip and watching his reaction; he instantly smiled wearily and held me close.

"Now that you are safe from death, you must focus on healing, which, by the way the physician spoke whilst your coma raged, won't be quick nor easy." He paused and kissed my nose. "But I'll be here with you, every day." He said.

"Promise?" I asked quickly, sticking out my pinkie; he grinned but obliged me, entwining his pinkie with my own.

"I swear" he promised, sighing and standing straight up again. I licked my lips.

"Wh-What happened whilst I was knocked out? Who attacked us?" I asked, the Captain sighed with a slight growl and sat down in a chair.

"It appears" he began, rubbing his forehead. "Monsieur de Chagny has given up the privateer life, or, he is giving the guise that he is a pirate in order to gain information, and bodies, for the French crown. He is directly targeting both my and Edward's strongest boats in our fleet; this was his second attack, his first was upon the _'Queen Anne's Revenge'_ which was unsuccessful, and he barely escaped. Same for this trip, however, had you not waken I would be bathing in his blood as his corpse was tied to the flag line and flown for all to see; or I would behead him and hang his head on the bow, or all of the above; I like all of the above." The Captain growled, he turned to me and apologized at seeing my mortified expression.

He chuckled. "I'm sorry, sweet cheeks, I have...severe homicidal tendencies to anyone or anything which disrupts my private life." He finished, unsheathing his sword and wiping it off with a rag in his lap. I marveled at what a change came over him, around his crew he was this rough and tough pirate, but, around me he was not only sweet, but, sophisticated, and, from what I saw I figured he was educated quite early on in life. He caught me staring at him. "What?" He asked and I shook my head, reaching out my hand and playing with his hair; I sighed.

"So, what do we do now?" I asked as gingerly took up my hand and placed his lips against the top.

"What we originally intended, take you back to London." Said he, I bit my lip.

"Well, I was hoping you would...might wanna...stay with me...in London, I mean." I said, he smiled.

"Of course, I will. And, I promise I'll visit you whenever I get the chance." Said he, my hopes smashed.

"What do you mean, 'whenever you get the chance'?" I asked, sitting up a little.

"I'm a Captain, Anna, of one of the biggest fleets of pirates there ever was, I just kinda have to be available to them too" he said, I took back my hand and sat up.

"But, what happened to all of that 'I'll never leave you' stuff you just said not five moments ago!" I yelled, he sighed.

"Listen, Anna" he said, attempted to keep himself composed. "If you become pregnant, by any chance, we'll take you back home and I'll...I'll stay with you and give them orders from your home. However, if we somehow manage to keep our hands off of one another, I'll take you home, stay for a while, and then visit two to four times every month." He continued and my jaw dropped.

"But-"

"That is tentative" he hissed, speaking louder, over my voice. I instantly hushed and nodded; he sighed and grasped my hand once more, patting the top. All the day and night he stayed with me; he only left for a few moments or so to get us food or to use the WC. The physician was in and out of the room all day and night, checking on my vitals and things of that sort; giving me morphine when needed. And, soon, I fell asleep laying my head on the Captain's shoulder; I was awoken by cannon fire.

I jumped and glanced around to find that I was alone, my breathing was heavy and my heart pounded at the alarm; I paused and looked about the room, the Captain, where was he? He swore he would never leave me, he swore it! I shook my head and sighed, leaning back to find that I wasn't in the same room; this was a different medical room, it was nicer. It was cleaner too, and smelt like flowers.

I was in a different medical room, but, the _'Black Pearl'_ had only one.

I was on a different boat.


	17. Lost and Found

_Chapter Seventeen: Lost and Found_

~~ I sat up ever straighter and swung my legs over the side of the bed only to feel a sharp pain radiate from my stomach. I cried out in pain and hunched over, my hands pressing on my stomach. The door to the medical room was opened and a man I had never seen before strode into the room; he wore a large, white coat and black trousers with a black shirt and a strange, black band running 'round his head with a large, silver circle attached to the band; the circle sat in the middle of his forehead. It was pretty apparent that he was the boat's physician. I scooted back into the bed, away from the man and the man put his arms out before him, to show he meant no harm.

"It's alright, I'm a doctor; I'm here to help you." Said the man.

"Who are you?...Where am I?" I asked in a demanding tone. The physician came closer and I backed away, further, onto the bed.

"I am Doctor Montgomery and you are on 'The Verdict'. Captained by Raoul de Chagny." The physician replied; I paused and groaned, rubbing my face in agitation.

"How long ago was the fight?" I asked and the doctor appeared confused.

"There was never a fight, madam, so I'm told, 'The Black Pearl' ported and some of our crew snuck onto the afore mentioned ship and stole you away." The doctor replied; I shook my head, the cheater! He was such a coward that he had to kidnap me; he wasn't even man enough to face the Captain! Or, at least, fight him again!

"The coward" I hissed under my breath, and the doctor nodded.

"That he is, but, I get paid very well on this boat, so, I do as I'm told." He replied; I nodded and, just then the door opened and Raoul came striding in.

"Speak of the devil" I hissed and he turned to me, smiling.

"Good morning, star shine; I see you're well and more than clearly aware by the evil stare I'm receiving." Raoul said, I rolled my eyes.

"You're a coward, you're not even man enough to face the Captain again; you sent your crew to do your bidding, I feel insulted that my parents would ever agree to marry me away to...you." I hissed and Raoul turned to the doctor, nodding. The doctor nodded back and left the room, closing the door behind him.

"Well, sunshine, they did. We're engaged, lovely! You are my rightful property and-"

"I am _not_ property! I am _not_ a material object that can be sold for profit! I...I'm_ not_ yours!" I screamed, my anger bubbling to a dangerous degree (well, dangerous for me). My hands folded into fists which I clenched together; Raoul only smirked.

"You're so cute when you get angry. Like a kitten attempting to roar like a lion, but, ending up yawning; it's so adorable I just might die." He said mockingly.

"Go on ahead, I won't miss you." I spat, crossing my arms. Raoul smiled and walked closer to me, touching my waist and I immediately reacted; slapping, punching, and kicking whatever of his I could! But, I'm not the strongest, in all honesty, I have trouble lifting a gallon of milk, let alone fighting off a skilled man of combat who, indeed, weights more than just one gallon of milk. Raoul shoved me down, back onto the bed and held my wrists against the sheets whilst he sat on my legs and leaned down to my ear; just barely touching it with his lips.

"I know what the Captain's said to you, and I know that he hasn't laid a finger on your pretty little head. My dear, I am most certainly _not_ like the Captain when it comes to love. So, if you wish to stay pure until marriage, I suggest you do what I say, for, pirates are not the only ones who hunger for the sickly sweet taste of a woman, Anna." Raoul paused and I felt him grin as the heat of his breath bared down upon my poor, little ear. "Oh, no, Anna, not just pirates, and, I can promise you that privateers are worse when it comes to that hunger, especially if they don't have a woman waiting on them at home."

Raoul finished and I grinned, I had a comeback. "How did you learn this? When they had their way with you because of your femininity?" I asked, it wasn't the best comeback, in fact, now that I've had time to think on it, it was completely terrible! But, it was the best I could do at that point; I wouldn't have had one at all, had I not met the Captain.

Raoul chuckled and shook his head. "No, dear, I can just_ feel_ it..." said he, trailing off; I had a better comeback this time.

"You know what else you're gonna feel?" I asked, he rubbed his body against mine and bit my earlobe; something hard poked my stomach.

"What, baby?" He asked with a groan.

"My foot, up your ass" I growled, kicking him in his genitals as hard as my leg allowed me to. He gasped quickly and his hands rushed down to his manhood, grasping it and making squeaking noises as he fell off of the bed. I smiled and sat up as he laid on the floor, curled up in a ball, gasping and squeaking; I smiled wider and slipped off of the bed, changing quickly behind a dressing screen, and walking out on deck, leaving him in fetal position grasping his penis. On deck, I hid from the crew, and, somehow, managed to release a dingy and get into it without being seen or heard, or, maybe I was and the crew was rooting for me to leave, who knows! Any who, in the dingy I sailed in the opposite direction that _'The Verdict'_ sailed in, in hopes of finding_ 'The Black Pearl'_ that way, since the doctor _did_ say that they had been at a port and were hurrying away from confrontation.

** I hate sailing, I loath it with all of my heart. Having to constantly deal with the wind and the current and the waves, especially being in a small dingy; it's not fun at all! When night fell the waves became rougher, but, that was all, thankfully there was no storm or harsh winds or rain and the moon shone brightly from the sky; making it easier to navigate. It felt like millennia before I came upon a port! And, it looked vaguely familiar, at that. I pulled the dingy up upon the beach and walked up the beach, to the port and examined the boats; none of them looked even remotely like_ 'The Black Pearl'_.

With a heavy heart that thumped sadly in my feet, I made my way to a bar, and, in that bar I sat down at a stool, when, my name was yelled! I glanced around quickly and saw no one I knew, figuring it to be a pigment of my imagination I went on drinking, when, it happened again! Only, this time, the voice was beside me, and, I turned to find that the voice belonged to an older woman; then, it hit me, this was the older woman that stood at the dock with a gun in hand the last time I was here.

This woman is the Captain's mother.

"H-How do you know my name?" I asked quietly and she cackled, ordering a drink after her laughing fit.

"Child, I speak with the first mate of my son's boat; I know all of what's goin' on there" she paused grinning; most of her teeth were missing and she was covered in wrinkles, her hair was turning white and her nails were long and quite comparable to daggers. "So" she began again as I drank, she turned to me and gave me a frank look. "How big's his penis now?" She asked and I spit out my drink; the people around us didn't even bat an eyelash.

"Excuse me?" I asked, wiping my mouth; her question was so abrupt and...off that it took me greatly by surprise! She laughed and enunciated her words, slowing them down.

"How big is his penis now? He was always worried about it when he was little! Holding it wherever he went, like it was a security blanket or-"

"Yeah, I really don't know because we haven't done anything like that." I interrupted, not wanting to hear the rest of her story. Now, she punched my arm and nearly shoved me off of the stool! I had to grasp onto the bar for stability!

"Oh, come now! I know how you two talk to each other! Willy sees the way you look at my son and the way my son looks at you!" Said she, drinking and winking to me; I sighed and drank a bit more.

"I have a question" I said quietly, and, she hit my elbow.

"Well, go on, ask it!" She cried, leaning closer to me.

"What's his real name? Your son, I mean." I asked, she smiled.

"Erik" she replied and I smiled, that's right! Blackbeard _did_ call him 'Erik'! I thanked her and she laughed, punching my arm again. "I like you, you're a good little girl, so, tell me, why the hell are_ you_ here? Last time I checked, my son wasn't around."

Said she, and I told her what happened; she nodded and paid for our drinks, pulling me out of the bar and a few blocks away, to a small home in the slums. She sat me down at a small table and put tea on the stove, walking over to me and sitting across from me; taking out a piece of paper and writing a note down onto it. She knocked on a door and a little window opened to which she slid the note through and then rejoined me at the table. "I've sent him a telegraph; it should reach him, at the latest, tomorrow." Said she.

"Oh, thank you" I replied and she smiled.

"All you have to do in return is give me grandchildren, just, make sure they don't look like him. I much prefer your face to his." Said she, patting my head and smiling. "Tonight you can stay here if he's not here by then, but, I have a feeling he will." Said she, she pulled me away from the table and into the living area where I sat on a ripped and discolored couch whose cushions had lost almost all of their squishiness. "I know it's not what you're used to, being rich and all, but, it's all I've got." Said she, handing me a cup of tea.

"Oh, no, it's perfect! This is better than most of the couches I've owned; they're all so stiff, at least this one was able of being enjoyed, the ones at home I almost never sat on, save when guests came over. Otherwise I would just lay on my bed."

"Now, tell me truthfully when I ask this, okay?" She asked, I nodded and took a sip of the tea; it was extremely watery, but, I'd had worse. "If you had the chance, if he asked you, what would you say if he asked you to marry him?" She asked; I paused and lowered the teacup.

"Well, we've only just begun courting and-"

"So, that's a 'no'?" She asked, uncrossing her legs; I leaned forwards quickly.

"No, no! I never said that! I said nothing of the sort-"

"So, it's a 'yes'?" She asked, grinning; I paused and tapped the teacup.

"Well, I suppose so-"

"Do not suppose! Give me a straight answer, 'yes' or 'no'" said she, her tone becoming alarmingly demanding; like mother like son!

"Y-Yes, I would...I would...I would!..." I said with more certainty; if I had been given the chance, I would've said 'maybe', for, we barely knew each other! And yet, I feel as if I've known him for so many years...

~~ I was going to stay the night, we had gotten word that they were on their way as fast as they could go, but, it wouldn't be until the next day that they would arrive. My room was small, and, in stead of the bed there was a mattress lying upon the floor with a holey blanket and smelly, stained sheets and pillow cases. I was afraid to lay down on it, who else had slept on that bed too? That night I tossed and turned and was completely unable to sleep; I turned over, laying on my side, facing a wall, and closed my eyes when I felt a hand yank me onto my back! I almost cried out, but another hand was placed over my mouth!

"Shhh, sweet cheeks, I'm here, it's me, Captain" said a voice, and, sure enough, his features were outlined in the ghostly white from the moon; I threw my arms around his neck and yanked him down to me, hugging him hard. He ended up falling upon me and giving a quiet chuckle and hugging me back ever tighter and lightly kissing my ear, just brushing his lips against it. He smelt of sweat, sea salt, and a dash of his own cologne which consisted of vanilla, lavender, and some other thing I couldn't place a name to. He wrapped his arm beneath my legs and lifted me from the cot, carrying me out of his mother's house on tiptoe; running once we made it to the outside world.

~~ He laid me down in his own bed and sat down next to me, brushing his fingers through my hair. "So" I said quietly as I felt the boat begin to move forwards. "Your penis was your security blanket?" I asked with a smirk; he laughed quietly and sighed, laying down next to me and outlining his body to fit beside my own, laying his arm over my waist and kissing my neck.

"Maybe."


	18. Go Back

_Chapter Eighteen: Go Back_

~~ I woke by feeling the bed shift and opened my eyes at hearing footsteps. I turned to my side to see the Captain pulling on his trench coat and slicking his hair back, throwing his hat on his head. He walked to a mirror and stared at his reflection, his gaze soon falling from his own face and meeting my eyes. "I'm guessing you slept well" said he; I smiled and moved over, laying in his warm spot and yanking the covers up to my shoulders, snuggling down into his pillow.

"Why didn't you want to stay at your mother's home?" I asked, yawning as he turned to me and walked to the bed, sitting down at the foot of the bed.

"She and I don't always see eye-to-eye, as it were." Said he and I giggled.

"Of course! You're six foot six and she's, what, four foot nine?" I asked, giving a tired smile; he chuckled and sighed. "On what do you not agree with her about?" I asked, sluggishly sitting up.

"Everything, mostly." He answered and I smiled; I leaned forwards and fell into his lap, allowing my head to rest on his thigh, he twirled a strand of my hair around his finger. I sighed.

"So, why was your penis your security blanket?" I asked, flipping over, onto my back and staring up at him.

"It wasn't my security blanket, in truth, the boys at school told me a horrible lie." The Captain growled, I grinned.

"What was it?" I asked and he hesitated a few moments before telling me.

"Mind you, I was five to six years of age...they told me that there was a monster that would snatch it off if I didn't hold onto it." He explained and I laughed so hard I almost cried! "See, now it's completely illogical! But, back when I was a child it made perfect sense and scared me!" He yelled and I continued laughing, wiping the tears from my eyes and wiggling around in his lap.

"Why were you so afraid of 'the monster' taking it?" I asked, still giggling, but, sitting upon his thighs, smiling to him.

"I was afraid that I wouldn't have been able to make love to you" said he, grinning and squeezing my behind. I narrowed my eyes, yet, a smile sat upon my lips.

"Umm hmm, I'm sure you were thinking about that when you were five!" I cried, smiling and giggling; he sighed and rolled his eyes playfully.

"I'm sure I was, too! If I would've met you in my childhood" said he, setting me beside him and standing, taking a few steps towards the door and turning slightly to me. "Lord knows I do now" he said softly, turning his head to me and winking; he left the room and closed the door after him. I sat upon the bed, smiling dumbly, when, the boat shifted and a few books fell from the bookshelf; one of them being a familiar black book which held the Captain's secrets. I gasped and rushed over to it, sliding on my knees and biting my lip in excitement as I scanned the newest entries. One entry ran thus:

_'Mon dieu, I can't get her out of my brain! My sweet, little, porcelain angel named Anna, ever since she's gone missing her face is permanently imprinted upon my brain and her voice, that tender voice, replays constantly through my mind. I bought her roses, luscious, red roses that she could sit by her window or mingle with her hair, but, she wasn't there; I hurried to her room, and then my own and she wasn't there either! I searched the ship, from top to bottom, but, my little doll wasn't anywhere to be found. I was angry, and, miserable; did she leave on her own accord? No, no, she couldn't! _

_She was far too injured for that, and, no pirate dared cross me...that leaves only one. _

_That pesky little privateer. _

_When I get my hands on him, oh! That man will want to climb back into his mother's womb! I'll beat him close to the point of death and slash him with the nine tale, I'll bleed him and cut off his fingers and toes! Then, and only when my angel tells me to stop will I push a shark hook through his neck and hang him high; he'll hang high, he'll hang jolly high! He'll hang high enough where pirates will know to never mess with my angel again, no, no harm will come to her after that; I can assure you! _

_They'll learn or die, and I will be sure to make their death most horrible, especially if they lay even a hair on her. But, I must find her first; at night my dreams run rampant with sickly sweet thoughts of her. The ecstasy that thickens like soup in the air around us, in those dreams, causes me to writhe with yearning; how much I want to shake her innocence, how much I want to yank it from her! But, she's afraid...she's afraid of that...of me...of her...together; why is she so afraid? I promise I'll be gentle with her, and, I'll do anything she says (she can be very stubborn sometimes, anyways), I'll always treat her kindly and kiss her tears away...oh god, what in the hell is happening to me? _

_I'm...I'm cheesy.__ But, for some reason, I'm liking it. If she'll let me, there's all goods about getting her pregnant, one, I get to stay with her, two, we get a baby, and three, we'll get married! I know we well, she'll want security and shit of that sort; besides, she loves me. Right? She must love me! She must...she must...'_

I was in tears by the end of this journal entry. I slipped the book back onto the shelf and fell back, onto the bed, allowing salty liquid droplets to rain down from my eyes and slip down my cheeks, onto the bed and my hair. All of a sudden, the door was thrown open with such violence that it caused me to jump and sit erect upon the bed, twisting my body so I could see the door; it was the Captain, his eyes were wild and he appeared ready to fight, but, at seeing me he straightened up and then worry passed over his face. "Sweet cheeks! What's wrong?"

He asked, rushing to the bed and pulling me back into his arms; I shook my head and threw my arms around his torso, hugging him tightly and refusing to let go, burying my face into his chest and sighing happily. "Captain?" I asked quickly, my voice ever more muffled by his chest.

"Yes, sweet cheeks?" He asked, brushing his fingers through my hair and rocking me back and forth, holding my body close to his own.

"I...I'm not afraid anymore. I'm not afraid." I whispered, smiling as his cotton shirt brushed against my cheeks. There was a short pause, then the Captain spoke.

"Afraid of what?" He asked in obvious confusion; I smiled and looked up to him, his eyes meeting mine. His eyes were soft and concerned.

"Of us...together...I-I'm not afraid anymore." I said, pausing. "I'm not afraid" I repeated in a whisper, smiling to him; it took him a moment to understand what I spoke of, he nodded and smiled, leaning down and planting a hesitant kiss upon my forehead.

"Don't read my journal ever again" said he in a whisper, a smile painted upon his lips; I giggled.

"Then don't leave it in such obvious spots!" I cried, laughing, he only smiled in amusement and held me close, laying his cheek on my head and rocking me back and forth; I was so happy he could take his façade down before me. His façade of majesty and mystery; and, before me he could be who he really is, a man, a man with feelings who doesn't really know how to handle them, then again, do we _really_ know how to handle our feelings? No, no, we don't. "Captain?"

I asked again, looking up to him. "Yes, my dear?" Asked he, smiling.

"Can we go back?"

"Go back where?"

"Back to the port...I wanna...I know you don't like her much, but, I really want to have dinner with your mum; together." Said I, he blinked in surprise for a moment.

"D-Don't you want to get to London?" Asked he and I grinned.

"I want to go wherever you go; and...can we, please?" I asked, sticking out my bottom lip and enlarging my eyes; he sighed and shook his head.

"I guess so..._but_, remember our deal from before? When I agreed to take you to London? Which, we're still going to London." Said he, I smiled and nodded quickly. "That's back in place, agreed?" He asked, I nodded quickly and he smiled, giving my behind a quick pop; I smiled and leaned forwards, giving his lips a quick kiss and jumping off of his lap, giggling and rushing out of the room, with him trailing after me.


	19. Bad Girl

_Chapter Nineteen: Bad Girl_

~~ It took four hours to return to port, apparently, we anchored at night so the boat wouldn't drift and push us off course; the wind had been monstrous that night. However, the day was clear and the sun shone brightly; the Captain grimaced as the boat was tied up to the port. "What's wrong?" I asked, standing, arm-in-arm with him as he looked on to the small port. He shook his head slowly. "Oh, come now! You can tell me, you can tell me anything!" I said happily; he sighed and patted my hand.

"I'm thinking of the savage scolding I'll get when we arrive; I sent her a telegram, telling her of our arrival, and I got an earful even without her speaking to me." He said with a sigh; I smiled. It was so sweet of him to do this for me, he could have just as easily said 'no' and kept to the course.

"Don't worry, if she gets too rough with you we'll leave, I promise you." I assured, patting his muscled arm; he turned to me and gave a perverted smirk.

"Nothing is too rough for me, sweet cheeks, I like it rough; the real question here is if _you_ can take it rough" he purred into my ear; I rolled my eyes and gave a small smile.

"How about we try-" I attempted to say; however, a shrill yell interrupted me. (Before the yell) my head laid on his chest and his arms rested on my waist, he pulled my leg up to his torso with his hand and gently held it in place.

"Erik!" The voice screamed, I turned to find the Captain's mother standing on the pier, waiting for us, her purse in hand and her foot tapping the wood of the pier impatiently.

"Oh god" the Captain said under his breath, before sighing. He took up my arm again and led me down to the pier where his mother whacked him in the head with her purse.

"Don't grope her like that in front of your mother! If you want to make love to her, wait until after dinner!" She hissed; the Captain rubbed his head and I gave a small giggle. She lead us forwards, to her home, grumbling nonsense words beneath her breath. Her home, however, had been cleaned since last time, and was fancied up! There were beautiful table cloths lying on her table, the entire home was dusted and the curtains were opened, allowing natural light to stream in, the beds had been shaken out and restuffed; it had the overall feeling of cleanliness to it.

"Dinner is almost ready, here, you two, sit on the couch, there, comfy? Need anything to drink?" She asked, smiling to me.

"Coffee, please." the Captain said.

"I _wasn't asking you_" his mother hissed, then, she looked to me and smiled. "Anna?"

"Coffee, please, madam." Said I, she nodded and hurried into the kitchen. The Captain sat beside me on the couch, his legs were spread apart, like most men sit, and his back was slumped in the cushion. I snuggled up to him by laying my legs over his and placing my head on his chest, laying against him; his arm sat around my shoulders as he laid his head back on the couch.

"I brought something for you" he said softly and I looked up to him excitedly; he smiled and dug inside of his trench coat, taking out a little, black book which I knew as his journal. He handed it over to me. "Just, don't read it when I'm around, and, give it back tonight, okay?" He asked, I nodded quickly and held it close, closing my eyes again until I felt someone poke me; it was the Captain, he held my coffee.

"I got it for you" I whispered and he chuckled, putting the cup to his lips and slowly drinking some of it; hiding his disgusted face before his mother. His mother sat on the opposite side of the living area, watching us.

"So, why have you two come? I know it's not because Erik loves visiting me" the Captain's mother said, sarcasm coating her voice.

"Anna wanted to have a dinner with us, together." the Captain answered, I smiled up to him and nodded to his mother, who smiled to me and nodded, tapping her cup of liquid.

"And, why is that?" The Captain's mother asked and I shrugged.

"I just wanted us to have a little night together; to leave things as they were would've hurt my conscience." Said I, pausing. "Besides, it'll be nice to eat together; to hear more stories about the Captain when he was little" I said with a giggle; the Captain rolled his eyes playfully.

"Captain? Why do you call him that? Just call him his name; just call him Er-" the Captain's mother attempted to say, but, the Captain hushed his mother.

"No" he growled "I don't want her to call me that, yet."

Why ever so not? It's your name!" She cried. "Besides, I've called you that before in front of her; she already knows it." His mother finished; he turned to me and I nodded. He rubbed his mask (he kept his mask on now, for some apparent reason he had been wearing it a lot) and sighed in frustration; whispering curses.

"I won't call you that if you don't want me to" said I with a smile, he nodded and glared at his mother as silence glided into the room; tapping its long fingers impatiently upon the small coffee table. It wasn't until that the oven screamed that this silence was broken and the Captain's mother hurried back into the kitchen. The Captain stood and placed me on the couch, walking away silently and closing the door to the WC behind him; now, I was alone, but, I was alone with my Captain's journal! I smiled and opened it hurriedly, finding the next diary entry that ran thus:

_'Here was a beautiful girl, begging to be kissed, and the sun was gone and the weeks were up and he'd be out in the middle of bloody nowhere this time tomorrow. He took her face in his hands and bent low and said "Then this is how you do it", and kissed her slowly, letting time fade away. And he couldn't remember any other kiss that felt quite the same.' _

And, that's what was written on the page! After that, nothing! It was beautiful, no doubt, but, I wanted to see what he wrote about finding me again; apparently, he had written nothing. I closed his journal and sat back, against the couch, when, his mother returned to the living room. "Where's he gone to now?" She asked, looking about the living room and sitting.

"The WC" I answered, hugging his journal close to my chest. She sighed and sat upon the edge of her seat, allowing her elbows to rest on her knees.

"Listen" she began, gaining my attention once again. "I know you want us to be happy together and you want my son and I to get along, but, Anna, it will_ never_ happen. Our difference in opinion is too great and our fights have become too heated; now, Anna, he and I can struggle through tonight, but, after tonight, you two are never to return to my home as long as I'm alive; okay?" She asked, this came as a bit of a shock to me; she didn't even want to attempt to mend things with him! She just wanted to leave things as they were, and, if that was so, what was the point in this night anyways?

"Okay?" She asked, a growl in her voice; now, the Captain returned from the WC and sat beside me on the couch, glaring at his mother and placing his arm around me, puffing out his chest. His mother laughed at him. "I know she's yours, you can breathe now, boy, I wasn't going to hurt her."

"Good, that thought better not cross your mind." He growled and his mother's face was one of surprising anger.

"And if it did?" She asked, standing; the Captain stood before me, protectively.

"Then we're leaving, and you'll never see us again, you'll never see your grandchildren or the wedding. You'll be alone, in this hell-hole dreaming of the _'god old days'_ when you were actually considered a human being." He spat, his fingers rolling up, contorting into fists at his sides.

"The nerve of you, Erik!" His mother screamed; disgust covering her face.

"Where do 'ya think I got it from?" He growled, he turned and grasped my hand, pulling me up from the couch and around the couch, to the door. His mother hurried around and attempted to grab for my hand, but, the Captain pushed me behind him, against the door, so she couldn't touch me. "Don't you _dare_ lay a finger on her" he snarled, advancing slowly forwards, his shoulders hunching as his feet slammed against the floor; I ran forwards and thrust my arms around his torso, holding him tightly to me, squishing my body against his. I clenched my eyes shut and he straightened up, laying his hands gently over my own.

"Calm down, sweetie, calm down. It's alright, we'll go back to the ship, she didn't hurt me, or you, it's okay. It's okay." I cooed, he sighed and unraveled my arms from him and turned away from his mother, pushing me out before him to be sure his mother didn't try anything.

~~ "I'm sorry that didn't turn out the way you wanted it to, sweet cheeks." The Captain said when we returned to his room.

"It's alright, I'm sorry for suggesting it, it was naïve and selfish of me." I said, he took me up in his arms and squeezed me tight.

"No, it wasn't, you can never be selfish. You just wanted us to get along, and, now we know who to not invite to...anything." Said he with a grin, placing me on his bed whilst he took off his hat and coat; he gasped a fresh cotton shirt and trousers from his closet and began making his way to the WC.

"Wait, where are you going? Aren't you coming?" I asked, sliding over on the bed and patting his spot. He smiled.

"I will, in a bit, I want to be clean first, her home always causes me to feel dingy." He replied and I laughed, a pirate, feeling dingy? Was such a thing possible? He disappeared into the WC and I waited until I heard the slosh of water to slip out of the bed and open the door but a crack, peeking inside the WC. I couldn't even appreciate the luxuriousness of his WC, for, my eyes were immediately drawn to him; he stood in the midst of the tub, his back was to me and he squeezed a yellow sponge over his head, causing white bubbles to fall down his body, following the trails made by his muscles.

Water dripped down his body and found every nook and cranny, oh god, how I ached to be that water! Being allowed to glide over his body without so much as a fuss! Water knew not of how lucky it truly was! Now that his clothes laid beside him I could enjoy his muscles, which were hidden by the baggy, cotton shirts and vests he wore (not to mention the giant trench coat). His calves, as well as his triceps were incredibly toned, his back was also quite strong and his backside, oh, it could've been in a painting!

He could've been in a painting!

Hmm….what a wonderful idea...

Any who, now, he turned, and I pulled myself back, out of his vision, but, he kept his eyes closed, washing the soap through his hair. His pectoral muscles appeared strong and so were his thighs, however, his ribs were incredibly visible and his forearms were quite small (in muscularity) compared to the rest of his body. His shoulders were broad and strong, too, and then, then my eyes followed the water that he yanked from the sponge to a private area. My eyebrows raised, the grasping of his penis sure didn't hinder it's length! My mouth hung agape for a moment or so; it was my first time really seeing a penis before, it wasn't...pretty...but it wasn't grotesque either.

I don't know if there's a word to describe what it looked like! A...a strange sausage, perhaps? I'm not very good at comparing things, if you haven't noticed that already! I blinked and, regretfully, tore my eyes away from him, silently closing the door and tip toeing back into bed, sprawling out and staring at the ceiling; thinking over what I had just seen.

~~ Maybe ten moments later he stepped out from the WC in fresh clothing and chuckled at me. "What?" I asked, sitting up.

"Nothing, just...you." He said, smiling, and crawling onto the bed, flopping down onto his pillow and groaning; pushing me down also. I giggled and slipped the blankets over us, and snuggling up to him; shivering in delight as the picture of him naked flashed back in my head; a smile crossed my lips as I laid my head upon his arm, I had been bad, for one of the first times in my life, I had been bad and not been caught; adrenaline from when he turned (when he was bathing) still pumped through me, and I liked it.


	20. Arts

_Chapter Twenty: Arts _

~~ "Hold still! A painting only looks good if the object being painted is _still_." I said, a paintbrush between my fingers and a canvass before me, the background was painted, but, the Captain wouldn't stop fidgeting! It had been a week or so after the 'mother' incident and we weren't to port for another week or two; I became increasingly bored. The day before this we hit a thing called 'The Bluffs' which is a spot of ocean where the wind doesn't even so much as pucker its lips.

It was humid and hot (considering we were on the Caribbean sea), and pure hell. However, I dare not walk around in my nightgown, like I did on my parents' boat, the pirates were becoming...strange whenever I came around; the Captain had to become increasingly strict with them when I was in presence, and, he would try to avoid my being around the crew at all costs. I was practically locked away in his quarters all day and night! I even asked the Captain why this was so; it was night, right after his bath (I had grown accustomed to watching him bathe now, it was the part of the day I looked forward to; especially since I gained a strange, warm and tingly sensation in the bottom of my stomach/top pelvic region.) And I laid upon his (which, he was now calling 'our') bed, flipping through my own diary.

"Captain?" I asked, scratching down the last bit of my bored ramblings. He grunted in response as he threw his dirtiest clothes into a bin. "Why am I locked in here?"

"You're not locked in here, the crew is locked _out_. You see, sweet cheeks, some men can't hold their temptations at bay when they see a beautiful woman; that's why you're in here, I'm not taking the chance of trusting men who've been without their women for a while to act completely and utterly fine around a woman with such beauty and innocence as you." The Captain explained; I nodded and my cheeks blushed a little at his compliment, he smiled. We laid down together and, everything was fine until he gave a sudden jolt that woke me, too, but, I pretended it didn't; he sighed and slipped out of bed, disappearing out of the room and gently closing the door to his quarters. However, I followed behind him and watched him.

He walked to the bow and crossed his arms upon his chest, staring at the spance of ocean before him; it was cooler now than it is during the day, however, it was still quite humid, in consequence to this, my nightgown began sticking to my legs. A day or so after this I found his journal, and, it was explained inside that he had a nightmare! He wouldn't write what the nightmare was of, but, it must've scared him quite badly to cause him to jump and seek fresh air!

** Now, the Captain sighed. "I can't keep still, you're_ painting_ me, and, beneath this little blanket I'm naked; how can I not fidget?" He asked, I smiled, I made him cover his 'little friend' as he called his penis, up, with a blanket; but, I got to paint the rest of his body.

Why did he agree to this?

He didn't...at first.

I told him I was bored and wanted to paint him, he refused, at first. Then, I told him I wanted to paint him _naked_ and, apparently, that changed everything. "Could you at least try not to move?" I asked, he sighed and nodded. "Thank you" I said and dipped my brush in the greenish skin colour I created for him.

"I get to paint you naked next" said he, I rolled my eyes and smiled. He was in a laying down position, on his side, facing me with his head propped up by his hand and his elbow in the mattress. He was quiet for a while, then, he began whining. "How long do I have to lay like this? I'm loosing feeling in my elbow" he said, I sighed.

"An hour or two more"

"An hour or two?! Anna, have you forgotten? I'm a _captain_, I need to run my boat." He said, again, my eyes rolled.

"That's why you have a first mate, besides, paintings just don't poof out of thin air! They take time" I explained; he huffed, but, said no more and resumed his original position.

"You're not wearing the sheet when I paint you" he growled, I giggled.

"You won't have the patience to paint me"

"Oh, yeah? I bet you I will" he said as I finished painting his chest/torso and moved onto the sheet.

"I bet you, you won't" I said softly, attempting to get the curvature of the sheet correct.

"Fine, then, what are we betting? Money?...Kisses?" He asked, I didn't answer for a long while, I was too busy painting! "Anna?" He asked, I sighed and lifted the paintbrush from the canvass, for I didn't breathe when I painted, it made it much easier to keep a steady hand (which was hard enough, being on a pirate ship and all!)

"Huh? Oh, uh, whatever you want" I said, sighing and cleaning the white off of my brush, dabbing it into the grey paint and adding details/shadows to the sheet. The Captain grinned and chuckled to himself. "What?" I asked, absentmindedly.

"What I want, you don't want to hear it; it would scare you half to death." He said, pausing. "What do you want?" He asked, watching me paint.

"Chocolate" I replied, without skipping a beat; the Captain laughed, but, it was true. I hadn't had chocolate in a while and I craved it daily. "What do you want?" I asked, my voice quieting again as I added the finishing details to the sheet.

"...It's...nothing." He said with extreme hesitation.

"No, no, tell me. Tell me, or you won't have a chance at getting it." I said, sighing happily at my painted sheet and cleaning off my brush, dipping it in his skin colour paint and beginning upon his legs and feet. He was quiet for a while, until, I 'bugged' him about it several more times. "Captain? What do you want?" I asked singsongingly; he sighed hatefully.

"A son, okay?!" He yelled, he paused and sighed, calming down. "A son" he repeated; silence ate up the room for the remainder of the time I spent upon his painting (which, was around an hour and a half to two hours) and, when I finished, I believe I did quite well with it! I turned the painting to him and smiled hopefully; he gave a quick smile and nodded. "It looks exactly like me" he said, standing and dressing; he made me turn away, for he thought I hadn't seen him in his birthday suit before.

He threw the sheet onto the ground, and, when I reached for it he made a strange sound; I looked up to him with furrowed brows. "Nope, I told you, you weren't going to wear the sheet when I painted you."

"But-"

"Nope." He said, pushing me to the bed; he turned away as I undressed. I trembled and my fingers turned cold, at least I had the decency to look at him naked when he didn't know it! But, as I was removing my trousers, I spotted a death sign upon them; blood.

"Oh, no, no, no, no, no!" I hissed in a whisper; pulling them down and exhuming my pants; they were covered in blood. I looked up to see the Captain staring at me with wide eyes, his finger pointed towards my pants.

"Why is there blood everywhere? Were you injured there?" He asked quickly, taking a step towards me; I shook my head and smiled.

"Oh, no, no; it's...it's a female thing. I..I can't pose for your picture, at least, not this week, I'm sorry." I said; his confusion only deepened.

"This week? Why not this week?" He asked, taking another step forwards.

"This female thing goes on for a week."

"You mean, for a week, you bleed out of your...lady part?" He asked and I smiled; he wouldn't say 'vagina'? This big, bad, rough and tumble pirate captain wouldn't say 'vagina'?

"Basically, yes."

"Why?" He asked, he was completely baffled, he moved to the bed and sat down beside me; I pulled up my trousers and buckled them, cringing as I sat on the bed.

"It's how females can have babies." I explained; he nodded.

"But...why don't you bleed out?" He asked and I paused, why don't we bleed out?

"I...don't know, I'm not sure. I do know that it gives you really bad stomach cramps, you get bloated and cranky and...well...emotional. At least, I do." I explained, he appeared shocked.

"Why?" He asked urgently, I smiled.

"Well, it's just a theory, but, in a book, someone said that a woman's uterus is literally tearing itself apart, getting rid of the dead cells and expelling them through her vagina along with blood; other people say that the dead cells _are_ the blood. But, it's all still theory." I explained; he nodded and turned away from me for a moment.

"That is the most badass thing I've ever heard. You do all of your normal activities whilst your lady part is tearing itself up...damn. So...what is this bleeding called?" He asked, I sighed.

"It's called a number of different things, between both genders it's called a 'period' but, when men talk about it with other men, it's called 'time of the month' since these things come once a month from when a girl turns around twelve or thirteen to her early or late fifties." I explained and he shook his head once more and patted my knee.

"I could not be a woman" he said, kissing my cheek and standing; I laughed, but, hurried off to the WC as he put away the canvass.

** A day later, by the mercy of the gods we left the bluffs, but, became caught in what I would describe as a hurricane, but, what the Captain would describe as a thunderstorm. We were being pelted with rain, but, the rain felt like rocks, and, I soon found, it was hail! I stood at the threshold of the Captain's quarters and watched as the pirates struggled in lifting a cannon; they were hoisting it over the mast (why they couldn't just roll it, I didn't know). I wanted to go out and help, but, the Captain put me on bed rest, basically; now that he knew what a woman went through once a month and how much it hurt, he wanted me to do as less activities as I could; but, I got bored. I walked out of the room and closed the door behind me, careful to stay out of the Captain's view, and inched closer to the deck; watching.

A pirate lost his grip on one of the ropes and the cannon dropped, so, I jumped up and ran for it, grasping the rope and yanking with all of my strength, holding the cannon up in the air. The Captain yelled my name and told me to get inside, but, I wouldn't let go of the cannon, it would plummet to the deck! The crew members and I yanked it up higher, over the mast, and just then, I was yanked away from the rope, but, the cannon remained stationary; the Captain held the rope, with one hand.

_One hand._

How in god's name is that even possible?!

He grabbed my shoulder tightly, but, not so much so as to injure me. "Get inside, Anna, now!" He yelled; I shook my head.

"I want to help!" I yelled back, he sighed in frustration.

"You can help by going inside, where I know you're safe. Now, go!" He yelled; I stood my ground and shook my head again. "Oh, for the love of god, Anna! Go, please, go!" He yelled, his voice becoming pleading.

"But, Captain, I-" I was cut off, when his hand left my shoulder and grasped my waist, yanking me to him and squishing our lips together. Of course, I've tasted his lips before, but, now, they felt extra soft, but, they were cold and covered in sea salt/spray. He broke the kiss before I could gather further information. "Anna, please, go." He said, into my ear; I gave in and nodded, hurrying back up the stairs and into his quarters, closing the door and smiling.

He kissed me.

_He kissed me._


	21. Battle

_Chapter Twenty One: Battle_

~~ We didn't stop at port, in fact, we didn't stop until it was absolutely necessary to; the Captain said he was having troubles with Edward (A.K.A. Blackbeard). "Why?" I asked as I picked at something stuck to my trousers.

"Difference of opinion, and, we're both as stubborn as mules." He said with a sigh, digging through his closet in search of something.

"You got that right" I said softly; he turned from the closet and raised his eyebrows, causing me to giggle; he turned back to his closet. "What's the difference of opinion over?"

"New headquarters, mostly. Our old one was ambushed by the East India Trading Company, though, it wasn't taken over, most of our supplies and charts were demolished and burnt. I would like the headquarters to be stationed in Singapore, but, Edward fancies Victoria Falls, in Africa. Then, there's the problem of him stealing some of _my_ fleet. He claims his fleet's diminishing, but, I've seen it, he's only growing stronger." The Captain hissed; digging through the very bottom of his closet.

"But, I thought you two jointly captained the fleet" I said and he shook his head.

"No, we argued far too much. Besides, I am nauseated by the smell of burning hair." Said he, turning and making a funny, disgusted face; I started laughing and fell back onto the bed, he smiled and sighed, standing. Then, he gave out a cry of discovery and fell to his knees, digging a bit more, only to pull out a dust covered, green, leather bound book.

"What's that?" I asked as he walked over to me, brushing the dust and dust bunnies off of the cover.

It's a journal, not mine, obviously, but, you said you continuously became bored and I have no use for the book any longer, so, here." He said, giving me the book, I smiled, he wasn't very good at giving things; I thanked him and pecked his cheek, sitting back and opening the book, listening to the spine crinkle beneath its own weight as the pages turned and spat their pungent perfume into my face. I love books, when you read books, they say, you live thousands of times over, depending on how many books you read. Books can transport you into worlds you never even knew _could_ exist! Books are, in all honesty, the simplest way of time travel.

The Captain smiled and patted my shoulders, standing. I tore my eyes away from the creamy, white pages to see him walking away. "Captain, uh, where are we?" I asked and the Captain held up his index finger, striding out of the room, only to come back moments later.

"We are approaching upon the Sao Tome and Principe, a small island beside the middle of Africa; as we speak we're actually crossing the equator" He answered with a smile; I nodded and he began to leave again.

"Captain!" I called and he paused, turning and looking to me. "When's the next time we'll port?"

"In a few hours, it won't be long. I'll take you to a restaurant and we'll relax, okay?" He asked and I nodded; I felt odd as he left, for I felt that, I didn't want him to leave!

"Captain-"

"Yes, sweet cheeks?" He asked, becoming visibly irritated. I paused.

"O-Oh, it's...it's okay, you can go if you'd like." Said I, turning to him and pushing myself farther onto the bed.

"No, no, you had something you wanted to say or ask, what is it?" He asked, I hesitated. "Come on, out with it!" He said, drumming his fingers upon his arm.

"H-How long will you stay with me when we get to London?" I asked quietly, truthfully, I wanted him to stay with me all of eternity, but I knew he would want to return to his boat sometime. He walked back into the room and closed the door behind him, walking around the bed and sitting beside me, taking up my hand in his own.

"A few months" he paused and grinned, letting his arm fall around my shoulders. "That is, if you're not pregnant" he added, grinning and raising his eyebrows quickly; I only smiled and rolled my eyes. "Don't you roll those pretty little eyes at me, sweet cheeks, I'm being serious" he said with a smile. I smiled and hopped up into his lap, my finger trailing up and down the ridges in his chest.

"Oh? And when do you propose we'll-" I attempted to say before being thrown from the Captain's lap as the boat stumbled from a thunderous boom. I fell to the ground and the Captain fell on top of me, surprisingly, he was quite light for a man of his build; he scurried off of me and began asking me numerous times if I was alright. "Yes, yes, captain, I'm fine" I said, sitting up and touching my head, which felt like my brain was throwing itself against my cranium.

"A-Are you sure? Are you completely sure, because, some people go into shock when they're wounded and not even know they're wounded. H-Here, let me check you for wounds" he said, looking over my body, front and back. He sighed in relief when he was finished, however, I could tell his nerves were still on edge.

"Captain, I'm fine" I assured, touching his cheek; he nodded. "What in the hell was that?" I asked as I attempted to stand, the Captain yanked me back down to the ground.

"It's always best to stay low when we're under attack, that, my dear, was cannon fire. It hit our hull, I must go see to the damages and order the crew, you, stay in here and stay as close to the floorboards as you can, okay?" He ordered, I nodded quickly, and, as he turned I threw myself upon him; hugging him tightly. I realized that, this could be the last time that I see him, any of these battles could! One bullet or stick with a sword is all it took, just one.

The Captain chuckled and sighed. "Anna, this isn't my first fight. I know how to deal with these things, and, I've been pushed into worse corners than this. It's alright, calm down, I'll be fine" he assured, taking up his soothing tone and patting my hands. I sniffled and slowly unwravled myself from him, sitting back upon the ground; he stood and leaned down, kissing my forehead and hurrying out before I could stop him again.

~~ My heart raced as I listened to the chaos ensuing outside, cannon fire, men screaming in agony, gun fire, swords clashing, evil laughter, and the Captain barking orders to people. I trembled as I laid beneath the Captain-I mean our- bed with my gun and sword clutched tight to me, staring out at the room around me, my fingers were ice cold, as were my toes and ears, but, I the scariest part of the battle had yet to come. The scariest part was when I didn't hear the Captain's voice any longer; I think my heart stopped beating for a few moments. I listened for what seemed like hours for his voice again, but never did I hear it; I shook my head, I couldn't take it any longer. I slithered out from beneath the bed and dusted myself off, putting my sword into it's holster and holding my gun tightly within my grasp, I ran out onto the deck to join the madness.

For a while, I stood and watched, too stupefied to do anything else; that is, until a bullet whizzed by my head! I jumped and ducked for cover behind a barrel, cocking my gun and peering over the barrel, shooting at any face I wasn't familiar with. When I was out of bullets I yanked out my sword and stood from my hiding place, only to find a pirate I didn't know, running at me with a sword! I gasped, but, planted my feet firmly onto the deck and readied for his blow, but, all the preparation wouldn't ready me for that! It was like I was hit by a freight train!

He slammed his sword into my own, and, with such force, I was pushed backwards and I landed on my bum! He brought his sword high over his head, and I, I swung my sword at his leg; I clenched my eyes shut and heard a scream, opening my eyes to see I cut his leg (up to his knee) clean off! I sat, stunned, for a moment, staring at the prematurely amputated bit of his leg; I pushed myself up, still dazed, and glanced down at myself, blood was splattered all over my clothes. I stumbled down the stairs, to the main deck and found myself being charged at, at the same time, by several different pirates! I only had to step out of the way and they impaled each other on their swords; it was too late for them to stop or divert their course by the time I stepped out of harm's way.

I fell against the mast and scanned the boat as much as I could, there was no sign of the Captain. I turned my head and instantly, my worries were melted away, the Captain was upon the opposing boat, fighting that captain, which was Blackbeard! My heart fell to my feet, but, my eyes never left the brawling two, I watched as the Captain sliced Blackbeard's arm, I watched as Blackbeard knocked my Captain down the stairs, I watched as their swords clashed and my Captain kicked Blackbeard in the crotch; all I could do was watch, for I had gone into some type of paralysis. I stood, in a sort of gruesome amazement, as my Captain struggled to his feet and sliced at Blackbeard's head, I watched as the fire which burnt on Blackbeard's beard burnt higher and higher up upon his beard; I watched as someone yelled to my Captain and distracted him, then, I saw my Captain's eyes slide over to me, where they locked upon my own. "Captain" I breathed as my Captain's eyes widened and his lips quivered; Blackbeard was grinning behind him.

I shook my head slowly as my Captain's hands lifted from his torso and blood dripped off of them; I screamed. "Erik!" I cried, running forwards; I was kicked and punched, my hair was pulled and my nails broke off upon the hot skin of a pirate, but, I didn't care, I shoved my way through the pirates and jumped onto the_ 'Queen Anne's Revenge'_. My Captain was on his knees, breathing slowly, when I threw myself behind him, before Blackbeard.

"Get outta the way, lass" Blackbeard hissed, I shook my head and stood my ground.

"No! You will _not_ harm him" I growled, spreading my arms out so Blackbeard couldn't get past me.

"Anna...listen to him.." my Captain said softly.

"No" I said firmly; Blackbeard sighed in frustration.

"Fine, then I'll kill you both" Blackbeard growled cocking the hammer to his gun and holding it to my forehead; I had to come up with something, and quick!

"Okay, then" I began, pausing. "But, would you really kill a woman who is with babe? Would you really kill your friend and his child? Would you kill my only way of surviving, Edward? Erik is my...my only way, would you really leave a child fatherless?"

I asked, faking tears as well as this lie; I was surprised I thought it up so quickly! Tears fell down my cheeks and Blackbeard lowered the gun slowly, hesitantly. "Take him and get off of my ship, get back to London as fast as you can; Erik and I will speak later. At our new headquarters in Singapore." Edward said; I stood and thanked him, grasping my Captain's arm and quickly taking him off of the boat.

The fighting stopped between the two boats, it paused when I screamed, but, it really finished at Blackbeard's words. I rushed my Captain to the infirmary where the doctor worked urgently on him, and managed to spare his life, thank god. When the surgeries and everything was over, my Captain laid in his bed, hooked to morphine, and I sat beside him, holding his hand. "Mighty good lie you thought up back there" he said groggily; I smiled.

"It was the only thing I could think of, but, now, Blackbeard thinks I'm pregnant...what if he decides to check up on me in a few months?" I asked hesitantly.

"Well" my Captain said after a short pause. "There's only one thing we can do"

"What?" I asked, squeezing his hand. He grinned devilishly.

"Rip our clothes off and make a baby!" He cried, laughing afterwards, groaning in pain moments later. I smiled.

"Not until you're all healed, though." Said I; he grinned again.

"Oh, no we don't! You only need the bottom half of me, anyways" he said, his eyes half closed; I shook my head and messed up his hair.

"No." I replied, kissing his forehead, he smiled and the door was opened, it was my Captain's first mate! (I still know not his name)

"What is it?" My Captain growled and the first mate sighed.

"Sir, I heard the crew, they're beneath the deck, sir, they're planning mutiny."

"Mutiny?!" My Captain cried, shooting up and crying out in pain immediately afterwards. The first mate stepped closer, squishing his index finger to his lips.

"Shhh! Not so loud, they might hear you! The crew are becoming angry that we're spending all this time going to drop Anna off in London when we could be in Tortuga or stealing or something of that sort." The first mate said; my Captain sighed and rubbed his face, he took his mask off before he went into the battle and had yet to return it to his face which was fine with me, I liked it better when he didn't wear his mask.

"Captain?" I asked quietly; he grunted and turned to me. "What's a mutiny?"


	22. Consequences

_Chapter Twenty Two: Consequences_

~~ I learnt that a mutiny is where a crew overthrows their captain and leaves him on an island with a gun that held only one bullet. And, apparently, anyone who backed with the captain got put on the island too! The Captain sat at his desk, his head in his hands, he said he was thinking; I sat on our bed, watching him. This was a very tough decision for him, I knew it, but, he would get us out of this, I knew he would! He always did!

There came a knock at his door, he groaned and the door opened, his crew flooded inside of the room, glares on most of their faces. "Sir" one of the pirates began. "Sir, you have a decision to make, it's mutiny or we go back to being pirates. Your choice" the crew mate growled.

"Get out" my Captain growled, the crew members nodded to each other and shuffled out, the room was cleared again within seconds. My Captain sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, he lazily brought his gaze over to me and shook his head slowly. "Anna, you know that all people must do things they don't like, correct?" He asked, allowing his head to rest in his hands.

"Yes"

"Well, it's your time now, sweetie." He said, sitting up straight and sifting a few papers; he picked one up and read from it; it was the marriage agreement my parents signed! My Captain bit his lip and blinked many times, gulping a few times before speaking. "Anna, there's only one thing I can think of that'll spare us both, for we won't make it to a port in time before they'll revolt. Anna, you're going to have to, at least, go back to London with...with the privateer." My Captain said, rubbing his eyes.

"No! Please, I beg of you, no! Please, Captain, please!" I cried, sitting up upon my knees and flatting my hands upon one another and pointing them to him, as if I were going to pray to him. "No..." I whimpered, my voice shaking; he stood and knelt down to his knees before me, his hand gracing my cheek.

"I know, I know, god, I hate it more than you do." He growled, his eyes glassed over. "Believe me, I don't want to give you up to him either, just, have him take you home, to London and I swear upon my soul I'll come visit you. The first chance I can, and, I'll write to you! Every day, I swear upon it; god, I swear upon it."

He said, caressing my cheek as tears gathered in my eyes; he smiled sadly to me and wrapped his arms around me, hugging me tightly. "But" he whispered into my ear. "You're not leaving this boat a virgin" he growled and I giggled, wiping my tears away. "I'm serious" he continued "I'm not risking him taking such a precious item as your virginity in my absence." He said, I paused and felt my cheeks heat.

"I..I dunno.." I said softly.

"What do you mean, 'you don't know'? Aren't you worried about Edward not thinking you're pregnant? Aren't you worried of the possibility that the little privateer might take advantage of you?" My Captain asked, grasping my hands.

"W-With Edward...I could always say I had a miscarriage...a-and you forget I killed a man for cat-calling me and during battle I cut some guy's leg off! D-Don't get me wrong, my Captain, I..I want to...I really want to, but, I want to give myself to you when we choose it, not because we're forced to do it. D-Do you understand?" I asked, fearing that I didn't explain my point well enough; he nodded and sighed.

"So much could go wrong, Anna. So much could go wrong." He whispered, I nodded and fell down into his arms, wrapping both my arms and legs around him, smiling as my chin rested on his shoulder.

"I know" I paused and I began trembling at a thought, and, without warning, I blurted the thought out. "W-Would you still like me the way you do now if I wasn't a virgin?" I asked, my lips quivering; he pulled away, his expression shocked and concern gleaming in his eyes.

"Of course, sweet cheeks! Of course! I just want to protect it from that privateer, now, if he does touch you, I will never care for you less, never. But him on the other hand, I will kill him in the worst way imaginable." He growled and I smiled, hugging him again; he climbed up into the bed with me and we laid together for hours, laying happily in silence or quietly chatting about different things, enjoying our last bit of time together before I would be taken away.

~~ The next day rolled around and my Captain telegraphed Raoul, who, at reading his 'good fortune' as he called it, instantly departed from port and would ride alongside our boat within two hours. I broke down again, into my Captain's arms, but this time, it was before the crew. My Captain fell to his knees with me, hushing me and running his fingers through my hair whilst the crew yelled curses at me; I broke from my Captain's grasp and stood before the crew, this action silenced them. "I hope you're happy with yourselves, I do, I really, really wish you're happy with what you're doing to us." I paused, tears falling down my cheeks.

"What if...what if this was your wife in this situation, huh? What if you were in the Captain's shoes? Imagine, one day, just because a bunch of fool hearty rodents weren't happy with how things were going you had to give up your wife to another man, and, god knows what'll happen to her then! They might kill her, they might rape her, hell, they might do both! Imagine that, if you're not too ignorant to, imagine your wife being raped by your enemy and then her throat slit right before your eyes.

"Imagine all of her burgundy blood dripping down her body, staining her clothes and covering her in a sheet of it, imagine how she'll gasp and reach out to you for help and protection, imagine how she'll pray for you to be there in her last moments, imagine your name whispered on her lips as her last, dying breath. Imagine the gut-wrenching pain you'll feel when you learn they just dumped her body in the ocean like it was garbage!...And, imagine the anger...imagine the skin of your fists cracking as you clutch your gun and squeeze that trigger so hard you fire all the barrels into that man who _dared _touch your wife, who had the _audacity_ to touch her and claim her as his. More importantly, imagine those men who condemned her to that; I know you all have children, or, most of you, anyways. Imagine those children coming home from school to find that mommy's not home, no, mommy will never come home, not anymore.

"They'll never see mommy again, thanks to those men; and just know, that if anything happens to me, you worthless _scum_, if anything at _all_, happens to me, it was _your_ fault." I spat, staring each man in the eyes and shaking my head. "You and you alone will deal with my Captain." I added, drying my tears and turning away from the men, burying my head into my Captain's shoulder and sniffling. "_Please_, I don't want to go" I whimpered, my voice muffled by his shoulder and my own sobs.

"I know, sweet cheeks, I know. I don't want you to go either" he whispered, holding me tight. There was a yell from the crow's nest that a ship approached and yet I clutched onto the Captain tighter. I choked down sobs as his grip of me tightened and he sang me the Swedish lullaby softly. "I'll see you in a little while, okay?" He asked, his voice breaking and shaking; I nodded, unable to keep the tears back, sniffling as they soaked into his shirt. Raoul's sickening voice filled the air, he called to me, my Captain and I both turned slowly to him to find him standing, waiting expectantly, on the deck of his boat.

"Come now, Anna, we haven't all day! London's a quite far way to go!" Raoul cried, smiling happily.

"Why couldn't I just go with Edward?" I asked in a whisper, my Captain smiled weakly.

"He's even worse with women than the privateer is, I wouldn't leave you two moments alone with Edward." My Captain said, he unwravled his arms from me and nodded to me, disappearing into his quarters and walking out with two suitcases filled with my clothes and belongings (with a few books and pen pads for drawing, of course), handing them over to a crew member from Raoul's ship. My Captain knelt down to one knee and kissed the top of my hand, slipping something into it as he did so. He stood and patted my hand, turning upon his heel and disappearing once again into his quarters, only, this time, he didn't return. I went quietly, with all eyes locked upon me, but I didn't care about that, my eyes were forever locked upon that door, that singular door.

~~ Raoul wouldn't stop babbling about his ship and all the amenities it was included with, such as my own room configured with a large closet and luxurious WC. His boat was also quite more clean than the 'Black Pearl' and a professional chef was hired to cook the food, but, I desperately missed my old boat.

One night, a few days after the whole thing, I sat in my bedroom, looking through my suitcases when I found my drawings of my Captain shirtless; I smiled at them and sighed, oh, fond memories! There was a knock at my door and in walked Raoul, he wore a white cotton shirt and black trousers. "We're porting tomorrow, is there anything you would enjoy doing on land?" He asked, unbuttoning his shirt and allowing it to open, unveiling his own pectoral muscles and abs. I shook my head and turned back to my drawing; Raoul walked over and sighed in frustration once he saw what was upon the page.

"You know, you can't draw things like that anymore, we're engaged, remember?" He asked, rolling the sleeves up to his shirt.

"No, I most certainly do not" I hissed. "My Captain only sent me here because mutiny was threatened upon him, nothing more." I added in a growl; he only smiled to me, and nodded.

"As you wish, princess." Said he, doing a stupid bow and laughing, leaving the room. I sighed and my head fell upon the book; the days couldn't have gone slower.


End file.
